News Coverage
Chemical In Plastic Bottles Raises Red Flags
Published May 13, 2008
If you haven't done it yet, you might want to get rid of the plastic baby bottles in your house that contain bisphenol-a.
You may want to stop using water bottles made from the controversial chemical, too.
Last month, the Canadian government proposed a ban on baby bottles containing the chemical - called BPA for short - raising concerns about possible health threats to infants and children.
Since then, retail stores across the country - including Wal-Mart and CVS - have announced plans to phase out baby bottles containing BPA.
And two weeks ago, six U.S. senators introduced a bill that would ban the substance from all children's products and require the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention to study its effects on children and adults.
"When a fire starts to burn, you don't wait for it to engulf the house before you sound the alarm," Sen. Charles Schumer, a New York Democrat, said then in a statement.
"Many manufacturers and retailers are already taking the appropriate steps to get these products off the shelves, and now we want to make sure that everyone takes the same responsible steps."
Some studies have linked the chemical to infertility, early onset of puberty and breast and prostate cancer.
But more research is needed to determine if bisphenol-a affects human development, say officials with the U.S. National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institutes of Health.
And BPA manufacturers say it's harmless.
"There is an extraordinarily rich scientific database that supports the safety of bisphenol-a," says Steven Hentges. He's a spokesman for the American Chemistry Council, an industry association that represents major U.S. chemical manufacturers.
He points to information from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration to support his claim. In a note to consumers, the agency says it doesn't recommend avoiding containers made with BPA. But it offers alternatives.
Many scientists and environmentalists are suggesting other options, too.
Why take a health risk if you don't have to, they ask.
"I would say when it comes to the health of our children, even some level of concern is too high," says Dr. Anila Jacob, senior scientist for Environmental Working Group. The nonprofit organization's work has included efforts to get toxic ingredients out of cosmetics and make sunscreens safer.
What we all need to do, she says, is keep as much BPA as possible away from those most likely to suffer health problems from it: fetuses, infants and children.
So what do you do?
First, figure out which food and beverage containers have BPA in them.
It's not easy.
BPA is a key ingredient in polycarbonate, a hard, virtually shatterproof plastic used in everything from compact discs and DVDs to eyeglasses, bicycle helmets, computers, water cooler jugs and, of course, water and baby bottles.
It's also found in the epoxy resin that lines many food cans, including those that baby formula is sold in.
Problem is, it's not typically labeled.
"You're usually not going to find something that says 'made with BPA,' " says Robert Schubert, senior editor and researcher for the nonprofit consumer group Food and Water Watch, which has, among other things, pushed to get artificial hormones out of milk.
That said, sometimes bottles and other containers are stamped on the bottom with the initials PC - for polycarbonate. If that's the case, there's a good chance they have BPA in them.
What Schubert advises, just to be safe, is to buy bottles and cans of formula that clearly state they contain no BPA. Many stores sell them, and you can find them on the Internet.
Schubert also recommends stainless steel water bottles for everyone, especially children and pregnant women.
And he recommends storing food in glass or ceramic containers, especially if you'll be heating it. BPA is more likely to leech when it's warmed, according to some studies.
In the meantime, expect the debate to continue. As it does, you can stay on top of it through dozens of Web sites. Try these for starters:
• cerhr.niehs.nih.gov
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