ok how creepy is this…we use the avent bottles and now i think i am going to stop.
FEBRUARY 27, 2007
12:41 PM
CONTACT: Institute for Agriculture and Trade Policy
Ben Lilliston, Communications Director
+1 (612) 870-3416
blilliston@iatp.org
Toxic Chemical Leaches from Popular Baby Bottles
Parents Need Information to Protect Their Kids
MINNEAPOLIS – February 27 – A chemical known to be toxic to the
nervous and reproductive system, and a developmental toxin, leaches
from popular clear, plastic baby bottles, according to Toxic Baby
Bottles: Scientific Study Finds Leaching Chemicals in Clear Plastic
Baby Bottles, a new report released today. The chemical, called
bisphenol A, is a disruptor of hormone function and has been found by
the Center for Disease Control (CDC) in the urine of 95 percent of
Americans tested.
The report is based on independent laboratory testing of the most
popular baby bottles on the market commissioned by the Environment
California Research and Policy Center. It can be found at:
http://www.EnvironmentCalifornia.org.
“We all want to raise our children in ways that are safe, healthy and
that maximize their potential,” said David Wallinga, MD, Director of
the Food and Health Program at the Institute for Agriculture and Trade
Policy (IATP). “Sadly, that’s made harder by the fact that
manufacturers aren’t required to give parents even the most basic
safety information on toxic chemicals in baby bottles and other
household products.” IATP works in coalition with the Environment
California Research and Policy Center for safer plastic and other
consumer products.
Five of the most popular brands of baby bottles on the market were
tested to determine whether bisphenol A leached from the bottles into
liquids contained inside them. All five leached bisphenol A at levels
that have been found to cause harm in numerous laboratory animal
studies.
Figure 1.
Baby bottle brand tested and the range of bisphenol A detected (parts
per billion)
Avent 8-10 ppb
Dr. Brown’s 6-7 ppb
Evenflo 8-9 ppb
Gerber 6-7 ppb
Playtex 5-6 ppb
Bisphenol A is most commonly used to make clear polycarbonate plastic
for consumer products, such as baby bottles. Through use, this plastic
breaks down and leaches bisphenol A into liquids and food to which it
comes into contact.
Scientists have linked very low doses of bisphenol A exposure to
cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity,
diabetes, and hyperactivity, among other problems. Alarmingly, the
median level of bisphenol A found by the CDC in humans is higher than
the level found in animals to cause adverse health effects.
“Parents can’t make informed health choices about baby products when
they’re left in the dark by manufacturers.” said Wallinga, a
physician. “We need a drastic overhaul in how we regulate consumer
products to require manufacturers to demonstrate their products are
safe, made safely, and made from safe ingredients, before they’re
allowed on the market.”
Absent action by state or federal authorities to protect consumers
from bisphenol A, or to ensure that consumers are notified of
bisphenol A in baby and other products, IATP recommends that parents
and other childcare providers:
· Choose glass or safer-plastic baby bottles; see IATP’s Smart
Plastics Guide for more information (http://www.iatp.org)
· Never heat food or beverages in plastic containers or bottles, which
can speed up the process of toxic chemicals leaching out of the
plastic;
· In washing plastic products, avoid harsh dishwashing soap and hot
water, both of which speed up leaching.
now here is the link that talks about “safer” baby bottles
.
