Strollerderby : baby bottles

BPA Bottles to Be Banned in Canada

Jen Chaney — Sun, 19 Oct 2008 19:03:00 GMT

They don't mess around with their baby bottles in the Great White North. The Canadian government announced Friday that it plans to ban bottles that contain bisphenol A, or BPA, the controversial chemical found in many plastic products. As we've all heard umpteen times by now, there is evidence that exposure to BPA may cause health problems, including possible hormonal and reproductive disorders in infants.

Here in the U.S., the federal government has not proposed banning baby bottles that contain BPA. But, as the AP reports, several state goverments are considering ways to restrict its use. Some major retailers also have pulled BPA-containing products from their shelves.

If there is a reason that U.S officials haven't issued a ban, it's probably because the scientific community at large can't seem to agree on whether BPA is really harmful. The FDA still says it's safe, although an independent panel is in the process of reviewing that claim. But that panel's effectiveness recently has been called into question because its chairman, Martin Philbert, headed a research center that received a donation from Charles Gelman, a well known critic of the BPA backlash.Lawmakers are investigating that potential conflict of interest. In other words, this whole thing has turned into one hot, baby bottle mess, which means that getting a clear answer about the potential hazards of the chemical may take a while.

What do you think? Is Canada doing the right thing by swfitly banning BPA bottles and erring on the side of caution? Or is the U.S. taking appropriate action by evaluating more evidence before considering a nationwide ban?

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Photo: green-mommy.com

Greenhouse: BPA Ban Fails

Amy Kuras — Wed, 20 Aug 2008 18:30:00 GMT

Proponents of banning bisphenol-A, a chemical used in baby bottles, sippy cups, and the coating of formula cans were handed a huge defeat Monday, when the California Legislature voted down a bill that would ban the chemical from baby bottles.

Another bill to ban a chemical compound called PFOA, which is used in food packaging and is a key ingredient in Teflon, also was defeated.

Concern has been growing among parents about BPA, which is believed to mimic hormones in the body and disrupt the endocrine system. It's been linked to male infertility, among other issues, and is widely used in baby bottles and sippy cups, although more and more BPA-free alternatives are on store shelves.

Senate Bill 1713 by Sen. Carol Migden of San Francisco, would have banned bisphenol-A from baby bottles and other products. Laboratory studies show the chemical harms brain development. Migden's measure failed on a 27-31 vote when 22 legislators abstained from voting.

Senate Bill 1313, by Sen. Ellen Corbett of San Leandro, would have banned the chemical PFOA from food packaging, which has been identified as a likely human carcinogen. It fell five votes short of the 41 needed with 11 members of the Assembly not voting.

However, the Food and Drug Administration released a report last Friday, right before the California vote, declaring that BPA is safe in the levels human are typically exposed to.

The chemical industry rallied aginst the bills, running ads showing an empty grocery cart in a dry lake bed, wich implied that every item in a typical grocery list would have to be pulled frmo the shelve sif the bill were to pass.

It's possible the legislature will revisit both bills again.

They Say: BPA-Larded Plastic Bottles Safe and Delicious

Madeline Holler — Fri, 25 Jul 2008 13:03:00 GMT

The European Union's top safety officials say that the tiny amount of BPA found in plastic baby bottles -- you know, the ones you threw out a few months ago and replaced with heavy glass -- isn't enough to harm humans. Or baby humans. Only rats. And baby rats.

From MSNBC:

A scientific panel of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has looked into how people metabolize BPA and concluded that tiny amounts of the chemical to which humans are exposed leave body quick enough to cause no harm, EFSA said Wednesday.

The tests that got everyone in an uproar were done on rats and humans, turns out, are different from rats.

I don't know, though. The cats out of the bag on this one for me. I'm one of those that went through the cabinets and tossed most of our sippies and kiddie cups (not much of a sacrifice since my youngest is old enough to drink from unlidded glass cups). We also cut down on our bottled water consumption, which can only be a good thing in the broader picture. So I don't think this study will get me to go back to plastic just yet.

What about you? Did you throw out the babies bottles with the earlier BPA study? Think you'll go back? Or are you going to sit tight like me and see what else comes out about this?

Photo:

The Poison Bottle: Canada and Walmart Take BPA Off Market

Cole Gamble — Wed, 23 Apr 2008 16:00:00 GMT

Thanks to Canada’s proposed ban on plastic baby bottles with the chemical BPA, Walmart stores have announced they look to have such bottles free from their stores by next year.

Playtex, manufacturer of baby bottles, has also jumped aboard the anti-BPA bandwagon, announcing the company will discontinue BPA products by years end.

BPA, or bisphenol A, is a common plastic component found in dental sealants, baby bottles, the liners of food cans, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses, water bottles and hundreds of household goods. If you are not familiar with the possible dangers of BPA, check out Amy’s or Madeline's post. Among the concerns over BPA addressed in a recent report from the U.S. government's National Toxicology Program are changes in behavior and the brain, early puberty and possibly precancerous changes in the prostate and breast.

While the National Toxicology Program’s findings have found the evidence of BPA damage in animal tests to be “limited” this report states the possible effects on humans “cannot be dismissed.”

Evidence of BPA’s dangers has been around for a while, but this is the first major government initiative to get them out of circulation. How about you, have you been BPA free for a while or is this all news to you?

On a complete unrealted note, take a look at thebaby picture in this post. Are those infant's ears pierced? Who does that?

Photo: www.growingkids.co.uk

Health Agency: Um, Oops! Some Plastics Might Be Dangerous

Madeline Holler — Tue, 15 Apr 2008 20:34:00 GMT

The federal government has reversed its stance on the risks of certain plastics. The agency in charge is now saying that BPAs actually might be harmful, especially to the very young.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is used in everything from dental fillings to sports water bottles. It's also found in most baby bottles and is also used to line the inside of formula cans.

Breastfeeders, you're not off the hook either. Apparently it's not unusual to have harmful amounts in breastmilk, too.

From the WashingtonPost.com

The National Toxicology Program, part of the National Institutes of Health, released a draft report today that says exposure to the chemical may be linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, early puberty in girls and such behavioral changes as hyperactivity. It urged further study.

Earlier, the agency said small amounts don't carry much of a health risk. But now they're saying even low doses pose a risk. If the EPA adopts the findings, they may act to impose limits on the amounts of the chemical that can be used in various products.

BPA-free products are available, but they can cost a fortune. Still, with these findings, don't you feel like less of a sucker for buying some?

Photo: green-mommy.com

Greenhouse: BPA-Free Baby Feeding

Amy Kuras — Wed, 13 Feb 2008 17:03:00 GMT

By now, the concerns about bisphenol-A in baby bottles have been well-documented. Studies have shown it disrupts the endocrine system, can cause damage to egg cells and even cause hyperactivity. Attempts to ban it in some US states have mostly failed, but worried parents are starting to seek out options.

Most clear, rigid baby bottles contain it –it's BPA that makes them that way, and yes, that's just about every widely available bottle out there. There are BPA-free options, although they are generally quite expensive, around $10 for just one bottle. Of course, there's always good old-fashioned glass (which is less expensive but gives a klutz like me anxiety attacks, but it's apparently tempered safety glass and thus sturdier).

Once you have decided to use a BPA-free bottle, though, there is more to worry about. Like, what sort of nipple should you be attaching to that bottle? According to Green Daily, silicone, which is nonreactive, is a healthier and greener choice than latex.

The same goes for pacifiers, of course.

Even if you exclusively breasfeed, you're likely going to need to give your baby a bottle of pumped milk at some point. So educating yourself on the options is a good idea.

They also have a Green Baby guide on the site, which lists earth-friendly products that are good for bottlefeeding and good for nursing.

Plastic Bottles Suck

Karen Murphy — Wed, 01 Aug 2007 11:28:00 GMT

Parents have enough to worry about these days as it is, especially parents of newborns. But here's one more: experts are advocating that you refrain from using poycarbonate baby bottles and sippy cups.

Yikes! We've mentioned this before, but it's worth another go: these clear, hard, shatterproof plastic items contain Bisphenol-A (BPA), which is being blamed for lots of bad stuff like cancer! Early onset of puberty! Infertility! More cancer!

Baby bottle brands containing BPA include Avent, Dr. Brown's, Evenflo, Gerber and Playtex. And, oh, when I say "experts", I mean the writers of a fairly mainstream baby advice book called Baby 411, which has been revised to include a warning against bottles with BPA.

Here's how you can avoid BPA in your baby's life if you use bottles:

1. Use glass bottles.

2. Use opaque-plastic bottles, like from Medela.

3. Use BPA-free plastic bottles, like from Born Free.

4. Use a drop-in system with bottles.

5. Don't buy store-bought baby food in metal or plastic containers

Oh! And what about toddlers, you ask? There's an excellent non-BPA sippy-cup wrap-up over at Z Recommends. I favor the stainless steel Kleen Kanteen myself.

Update! Here's another excellent and brand-specific wrap-up of baby bottles over at Z Recs!

Nothing is Safe: Baby Bottles Found to be Toxic

Karen Murphy — Wed, 28 Feb 2007 11:37:00 GMT

So you've just thrown out your baby's plastic toys, but those bottles are safe, right? Wrong! It turns out they contain and leach out a chemical called bisphenol A which is used to make clear plastic. Five popular bottle brands were tested: Avent, Dr. Brown's, Evenflo, Gerber and Playtex, and ALL FIVE were found to leach bisphenol A at levels considered high enough to cause harm in numerous laboratory animal studies (sorry, mice, so sorry, but then again, thank you). Bisphenol A has been linked by scientists to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity (WTF? Does everything cause that?), diabetes and hyperactivity.

Is nothing safe or sacred? Apparently not. I think I'll go hide in a hole somewhere now. So what's a parent to do? The bottles are all poison? Even many breast-fed babies use bottles sometimes. Well, there's glass. That's still pretty safe, aside from the obvious breakage-and-stepping-in-shards factor. And there IS "safer" plastic. There's more information here at the site of Environment California, a group working to require product manufacturer labeling and reforms in chemical manufacturers' policies (but I still couldn't find which plastics were considered "safer").