Strollerderby : bisphenol A

BPA More Ubiquitous and Tenacious than Previously Thought

Shannon LC Cate — Fri, 30 Jan 2009 23:04:00 GMT

Bisphenol A (BPA), a controversial chemical many scientists say contributes to a variety of health problems, has been used for years to harden plastics, like the plastic used in many baby bottles. You've probably heard the outcry among parents and seen the shift to "non-BPA" plastic bottles, glass bottles, stainless steel bottles and the like.

Now scientists say that either BPA is not eliminated from the body as quickly as its defenders have always claimed, or we are all exposed to much more of it than previously supposed. Researchers tested subjects by having them fast for various lengths of time and found that the BPA in participants' urine changed little from those who had recently eaten to those who had fasted for several hours.

Scientists speculate that tap water, house dust, and other sources may be causing a more constant level of exposure to the chemical. It is also possible that BPA lingers in the body long after exposure. It is, of course, most disturbingly possible that both are true.

This is a big problem because when the FDA ruled last year (to great protest from the scientific community) that BPA is safe enough not to ban, it based its conclusion on the idea that humans are exposed to only a tiny amount of BPA--far lower than lab animal testing suggested might be problematic. Now it looks like we are exposed to quite a bit more of it--or it builds up in our bodies--than we knew. It could be that a BPA pile-up in our bodies could reach those more dangerous levels.

As soon as I learned about BPA, I switched out my plastic baby bottles to glass, my plastic sippy cups to stainless steel, my plastic food containers to glass and I tossed all toys my kids chewed on that might contain it. But as a working mom with two small children and a mountain of laundry, house dust is far from my control, however fruitlessly I attempt to combat it. Here's hoping researchers find the answers about BPA soon, and do something to protect those of us with out of control dust bunnies.

For more on how we manage to accidentally poison our children, see:

Trace Mercury Found in High-Fructose Corn Syrup

Peanut Corporation of America Knowingly Sold Tainted Food

Peanut Allergies, Peanut Schmallergies?

Web Index of Recalled Peanut Butter Products

What Will Tainted Peanut Butter Really Do to Our Kids?

Peanut Butter Recall Expanded

Peanut Allergy Scare Overblown?

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

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