USA Today: Europe Votes to Ban BPA from Baby Bottles

USA Today, Liz Szabo
Published November 29, 2010

The European Commission voted Thursday to ban the estrogen-like chemical BPA, or bisphenol A, from plastic baby bottles by the middle of next year. In spite of what it called some "uncertainty" in the science, the commission said in a statement that it was concerned about BPA, which helps make plastic hard and shatterproof, and its effects on children's development, the body's immune response and cancer risk. Studies have linked BPA exposure to heart disease, diabetes and low sperm counts in men. "This is good news for European consumers," said John Dalli, commissioner in charge of health and consumer policy for the European Commission. European Union countries must stop manufacturing polycarbonate plastic baby bottles with BPA by March; they must stop selling or importing them by June, according to the statement. The vote comes a week after American opponents of BPA failed to include a ban on the chemical in a $1.4 billion food-safety bill. Sen. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif., who had championed a ban on BPA in baby bottles, blamed the chemical industry for defeating her proposal. In a statement, the Environment Working Group, an advocacy organization, commended Europe's decision, noting that more than 90% of Americans have BPA in their urine. The group's tests have found BPA in babies' umbilical cords. "It is absolutely unacceptable that American babies are born pre-polluted with this toxic chemical," group President Kenneth Cook said. Read the entire article here: http://www.usatoday.com/news/world/2010-11-29-BPA29_ST_N.htm