Hard Plastic Baby Bottles Leach Toxic Chemical
TORONTO, Ontario, Canada, February 15, 2008 (ENS) – A harmful chemical found in 90 percent of plastic baby bottles sold in Canada leaches into the infant formula, milk or other liquids being drunk by babies, according to a new study released by Environmental Defence, a nonprofit organization based in Toronto.
The chemical, bisphenol A, is a known hormone disruptor and is associated with adverse health effects, including breast and prostate cancer, early puberty in girls, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and obesity.
The study, “Toxic Baby Bottles in Canada: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Brands of Polycarbonate Baby Bottles,” found the chemical leaches at from hard plastic baby bottles when they are heated.
Lab results found leaching of bisphenol A with a range of 5-8 parts per billion among the bottles tested. Recent scientific research shows that bisphenol A can be harmful at doses below the levels found in the study.
Environmental Defence is calling for a ban on the use of bisphenol A in baby bottles, reusable water bottles and all other food and beverage containers.
“Clearly, we are putting our babies’ health at risk by using brand name plastic baby bottles,” said Dr. Rick Smith, executive director of Environmental Defence. “The federal government must act immediately by banning bisphenol A from baby bottles and other food and beverage containers.”
Three major brands of bottles were tested in Canada – Gerber, Avent and Playtex. Lab results show the highest level of leaching from the Avent brand baby bottles.
Playtex brand baby bottles had the lowest level of leaching.
Hard plastic baby bottles have
been found to leach bisphenol
A when heated. (Photo by
Jean-Paul Bonjour)
Levels of bisphenol A leaching increased exponentially when the bottles were heated, with the Avent brand bottles showing the highest concentration.
“As parents, learning about which products are unsafe and choosing healthy and safe alternatives is the first step towards protecting our children and families from toxic chemicals like bisphenol A. Ultimately, we need our provincial and federal government to step up because these toxic products shouldn’t even be on store shelves for an unsuspecting parent to pick up and give to their children,” said Monique Fabregas, a mother and founder of GreenMom.
Tests were also conducted on baby bottles bought in the United States using products made by Avent, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo and Disney. The results were similar to testing done on bottles bought in Canada, with Dr. Brown’s bottles showing the highest concentration of bisphenol A after the bottles were heated.
Based in St. Louis, Missouri, the Handi-Craft Company, which makes Dr. Brown’s bottles, has said, “All of Dr. Brown’s Natural Flow baby bottles were designed and engineered with the best health of baby in mind. Before going to market, Dr. Brown’s products are tested to ensure they meet federal safety standards.”
Canadian safety standards may be revised in view of the BPA findings. Health Canada is currently conducting a safety review of bisphenol A as part of the federal government’s Chemicals Management Plan, and will recommend whether to regulate the chemical in the coming months.
In Ontario, the McGuinty government is creating an expert panel to review toxic chemicals, starting with bisphenol A, with a view to introducing stricter regulations to protect Ontarians’ health.
“With so many scientific studies showing harm in low doses, there’s no excuse for failing to act to protect children’s health,” said Dr. Kapil Khatter, Pollution Policy Advisor for Environmental Defence. “The absence of regulation is needlessly putting children’s health at risk.”
Environmental Defence is also encouraging retailers to stop selling products that contain bisphenol A. Both Mountain Equipment Co-op and Lululemon recently chose to take bisphenol A products off their shelves.
The U.S. version of “Baby’s Toxic Bottle” was written by the Center for Health, Environment and Justice, and Clean Water Action, in collaboration with Environment Defence. It was released in the United States by a broad coalition of public health and environmental nongovernmental organizations including: Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, Boston Common Asset Management, Breast Cancer Fund, Center for Health, Environment and Justice, Clean New York, Clean Water Action, Environment America, Environmental Health Fund, Environmental Health Strategy Center, Healthy Legacy, Learning Disabilities Association of America, MOMS (Making Our Milk Safe), Oregon Environmental Council, and New Jersey Public Interest Research Group.
In New Jersey, Assemblywoman Linda Greenstein, a Democrat, expressed support for state level action to eliminate childrens’ exposure to chemicals such as BPA.
“Parents should not have to wonder whether child care products are putting their children at risk for toxic exposure. Strong safety standards are needed to ensure that parents and consumers aren’t confronted with this question,” said Greenstein. “As a New Jersey lawmaker, I firmly support legislative action to eliminate the hidden toxic hazards that threaten the health of New Jersey families.”
However, the American Chemistry Council assures consumers that polycarbonate hard plastic baby bottles are safe to use even when heated.
“The claim that bisphenol A migration levels remain elevated after a single treatment with boiling water was not confirmed in a far more comprehensive study from researchers at the University of Athens who examined migration over repeated cycles to determine what happens under real-life repetitive use of polycarbonate bottles,” the Council says on its website.
“These researchers found that elevated migration levels are a transient effect that quickly recedes to a baseline level with continued use, even when boiling water was used in each subsequent cycle,” the Council said.
“For decades, polycarbonate plastic has been safely used to make baby bottles and reusable water bottles. The safety of these products has been supported by numerous science-based safety evaluations of bisphenol A that have been conducted by independent government and scientific bodies worldwide,” the Council says.
Still, parents who wish to do so can choose plastic baby bottles made without bisphenol A, or glass baby bottles.
The report, “Toxic Baby Bottles in Canada: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Brands of Polycarbonate Baby Bottles, is online at: www.toxicnation.ca.
View This Story On Eco–mmunity Map.
