Materials used in plastic for baby bottles leach toxins

Dozens of state and national environmental health organizations in the U.S. and Canada are calling for a moratorium on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and other food and beverage containers, based on the results of a new study that demonstrates the toxic chemical BPA leaches from popular plastic baby bottles when heated. BPA, a synthetic sex hormone that mimics estrogen, is used to make hard polycarbonate plastic. Ninety-five percent of all baby bottles on the market are made with BPA. The results of the U.S. study show that, when new bottles are heated, those manufactured by Avent, Evenflo, Dr. Brown’s, and Disney/First Years leached between 4.7 and 8.3 parts per billion of BPA. Recent research on animals shows that BPA can be harmful by disrupting development at doses below these levels. The bottles were purchased at retailers across the country in nine states: Babies“R”Us, CVS, Target, Toys“R”Us, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart.

Results of the study, “Baby’s Toxic Bottle: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Baby Bottles,” contribute to a growing body of evidence that calls for protective action to reduce public exposure to BPA, especially for infants and children. Last month, Representatives John Dingell and Bart Stupak, both Michigan Democrats, launched a congressional investigation to ascertain the safety of BPA used to line the cans of infant formula products. The study was commissioned by Environmental Defence of Canada in cooperation with The Work Group for Safe Markets in the U.S., and researched by the laboratory of Frederick vom Saal at the University of Missouri. “The only appropriate response to evidence that a known toxic chemical leaches from baby products is to phase it out and replace it with safer products in order to prevent harm wherever possible,” said Mike Schade, a report co-author with the Center for Health, Environment and Justice. “Environmental health organizations from across the U.S. are calling for an immediate moratorium on the use of BPA in baby bottles and other food and beverage containers.”

Studies conducted on laboratory animals and cell cultures have linked low doses of BPA to obesity, diabetes, thyroid disease, breast cancer, prostate cancer and other illnesses. BPA exposure is widespread and has been found in 95 percent of Americans tested. Scientists, physicians, and public health professionals suspect that existing scientific evidence on BPA indicates a real risk to human health. In addition to baby bottles, BPA is used to make hard plastic used in some toddler sippy cups, polycarbonate water bottles such as some Nalgene bottles, dental sealants, and the linings of many food and beverage cans, including all infant formulas. There are no existing safety standards regulating BPA under U.S. laws, even for products used by infants and young children. Nine states have introduced legislation that would restrict the use of BPA in children’s products, including baby bottles.

The Canadian version of the study is available here.