California's State Assembly has finally passed a bill that would ban the use of Bispehenol-A (BPA) in many children's products — including bottles, sippy-cups, baby food, and formula.
The Toxin-Free Infants and Toddlers Act “prohibit(s) the manufacture, sale, or distribution of the above products designed for children 3 and younger that contain more than 0.1 parts per billion (ppb) of BPA.”
BPA, an estrogen-mimicking chemical, has been linked to cancer, sexual dysfunction, and heart disease.
Studies have shown pregnant women and children are most susceptible to the damaging effects.
Reports from the National Institute of Health and the FDA revealed the following:
The FDA shares the perspective of the National Toxicology Program that recent studies provide reason for some concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children.
The President's Cancer Panel also expressed concerns about BPA increasing cancer risk.
With such concerning evidence on the books, it's startling that this California measure is only now going into effect.
Connecticut, Maryland, Massachusetts, Minnesota, New York, Vermont, Wisconsin, and Washington have already banned the chemical from certain products used primarily by infants and children.
Earlier this year, we told you how even China had banned the use of BPA because it may “disturb human metabolism, affect babies' immune systems and even induce cancer”...
Effects like that are pretty much as serious as it gets.
Yet the chemical and beverage industries continue to push against such measures.
Just last week, Coca-Cola ignored pleas from its own shareholders to remove BPA from the lining on their cans.
“Every child from every community in our state deserves access to safe products. This is a fight worth having because big chemical money should not be allowed to trump the health of babies in California,” said Assemblymember Betsy Butler, who sponsored the bill.
The bill is now headed for the State Senate for final approval. We'll keep you updated on the progress.
Be Well,
Jimmy
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