Thursday, February 07, 2008

More Evidence Emerges About the Dangers of BPA Exposure to Humans. Pregnant Mothers, Infants, and Children at Highest Risk.

*I want to get the word out as soon as possible about this important study but I have limited time to write something original today, so I have lifted most of this post directly from media releases about the study*

Today, I participated in a media teleconference announcing the results of a new U.S. and Canadian study, "Baby's Toxic Bottle: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Baby Bottles". The results of this study have led dozens of U.S. and Canadian environmental health organizations to call for an immediate moratorium on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and other food and beverage containers.

Researchers have found that the toxic chemical BPA leaches from popular plastic baby bottles when heated, including Avent, Evenflo, Dr. Brown’s and Disney/First Years. Importantly, ninety-five percent of all baby bottles on the market are made with BPA.

BPA, a synthetic sex hormone that mimics estrogen, is used to make hard polycarbonate plastic. 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% of Americans tested.

BPA is also found 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.

A couple of additional points I would like to share from the call are:

--BPA is also commonly found in tap water sources. In fact, the researchers of this study had a hard time finding a non-contaminated water source for the study.

--A few of the questions from reporters from the media tended to focus on whether this study was really that significant since the dangers of BPA have only been confirmed in animals. The researcher made it clear that levels of BPA they found leaching from bottles was surprisingly high and within the range to which animals respond with adverse effects. And furthermore, noting the adverse affects of BPA in animals IS a significant sign of BPA's probable risk to humans.

--The most dangerous period for BPA exposure is before birth (in the womb) and during infancy and early childhood when human body systems are still being developed and can be adversely affected by hormone disrupters. Both males AND females can be adversely affected by BPA exposure. In animal studies, some males that were exposed had abnormalities of reproduction when they grew up. Females saw changes in breast tissue that can lead to breast cancer later in life. These are only two examples of the types of health problems BPA can cause.

So with all of this information, I personally am going to:

1) Use only glass bottles with safe plastic nipples for my 6-month-old son. I go back to work next week and will be pumping breastmilk every day for him. I have found a safe brand of bottles and nipples that I like and which I will be featuring on Green Mom Finds soon, as well as offering some to give away I hope! In the meantime, if you want me to send you a link to their site, drop me an email.

2) Stop buying canned foods. It will be hard, but I'm not taking any more chances.

3) Continue using safe sippy cups for Little Guy. There are tons safer options out there now. Safemama.com has a great cheat sheet on her site. We've also featured a couple on Green Mom Finds.

Here is some more information, which I took directly from the press release:

Parents can take action immediately to protect their children’s health by choosing safer products, including plastic baby bottles made without BPA or glass baby bottles. (See www.babystoxicbottle.org for more tips.)

Visitors to the “Baby’s Toxic Bottle” website can sign a petition to baby bottle manufacturers, urging them to phase out BPA in baby bottles at www.babystoxicbottle.org.

The full study, “Baby's Toxic Bottle: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Baby Bottles,” is available to download for free on the website www.babystoxicbottle.org. The Canadian version of the study is available at www.toxicnation.ca.

This 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, PhD., at the University of Missouri. Study results were released today in the U.S. by a broad coalition of public health and environmental non-governmental organizations including: Alliance for a Clean and Healthy Maine, Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow, Boston Common Asset Management, Breast Cancer Fund, Center for Health, Environment & Justice, Clean New York, Clean Water Action, Environment America, Environmental Health Fund, Healthy Legacy, Learning Disabilities Association of America, MOMS (Making Our Milk Safe), Oregon Environmental Council, Sierra Club, and US PIRG.

Note that, due to server problems, the babystoxicbottles.org site will be down for part of the day.

12 Comments:

Anonymous Anonymous said...

This makes me feel horrid. I used what I'm sure were totally BPA-laden bottles and sippy cups with my daughter and for a brief period I used unsafe sippys with my son because I had no fracking clue that companies would be alowed to get away with this. Excuse me while I go yack.

12:39 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Alright, so now I'm freaking out. What about the bottles with liners? I have been using the playtex bottles with the drop in liners. I suppose the liners have BPA in them too? I guess I need to throw her sippy cups out. This kind of thing makes me so angry. It also makes me worry about what else we will find out in the coming years about things that are making us sick.

8:56 PM  
Blogger Cristina said...

Rookiemom: someone on the call asked about the plastic liners and the response was basically that they have not done research to test them yet so they could be safe or they could not be safe. If I remember correctly, one of the panelists suggested that the lining might pose more of a phthalate hazard than a BPA hazard. (If it's not one thing it's another!) But again, I don't think they've done research on it to really know.

12:27 AM  
Blogger Mom101 said...

This is awesome Cristina, and thanks for the recap. I was really bummed I missed the call.

But I am really glad I've been using Adiri nursers.

And Rookiemom: My understanding is that the worst plastics are the hard, transparent ones and so the liners are likely not an issue. Also, part of the problem is that toxins leach out after repeated exposure to hot water (ie dishwashing) and so disposable liners probably actually keep a barrier between the formula/milk and the bottle. Just a guess.

7:11 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

Thanks guys! I think I'll probably be on the safe side and start looking for some glass bottles, though.

8:03 AM  
Blogger Lisa said...

Well that's really, really scarey. Am also wondering now about other plastic bottles that contain sports drinks, sodas, water, yogurt drinks, juices....

Are kids getting a steady stream of this stuff from conception to adulthood?

And as for the canned veggies... Are frozen veggies ok? What about those kind you can steam within the bag? Cause, ya know... Plastic.

12:14 PM  
Blogger becky s said...

i've been drinking from nalgene bottles for a year or two. i developed gestational diabetes and 11 weeks after giving birth, i may still have blood sugar issues. it makes me wonder if BPA has anything to do with it, as i was fine prior to this.

i have some playtex bottles that i will need to get rid of. fortunately, baby boy has only been fed from them 3 or 4 times.

10:34 PM  
Blogger Green Bean said...

C.

I know you are in California and wanted to bring more toxic stuff to your attention - in parts of LA and much of Northern California, the state will be applying aerial pesticide (that's right, over our heads) to large regions including schools, parks and homes in an effort to eradicate the light brown apple moth. Please check my blog for info on this and, if you think it appropriate, share info with your readers.

8:23 PM  
Blogger Abby said...

Very scary, yes. I've read on Zrecs blog that Gerber bottles, which I've been using, don't contain BPA. Just call the company and do some research before you freak out and throw away everything you've got. And what about the phthalates? I've heard about them in baby shampoo, even the old stand-by J&J tearless formula! We've got to be on top of things as moms, thanks for sharing this info mommy off the record!

5:03 AM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I have recently found out that formula cans are lined with BPA. I am feel so sick to say that I have been feeding canned formula to my baby for 9 months! Our pediatrician actually recommended it!! Does anyone know what I can do to detox my infants system of this BPA?

8:13 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

i heard that the bpa doesnt last long in the body once you rid the source of it,also turmeric suppose to be good to detoxify from estrogen like chemicals and i believe the bpa mimics estrogen, i have been also using detox foot pads on my sons feet

7:53 PM  
Anonymous Anonymous said...

I am so glad the BPA word is out. It came to my attention from first CP24 two Canadians from Environmentof Denfense published a book called Slow Death by Rubber Duck. BPA mimicks estrogen that plays a major role to breast and prostate (hormone fed) cancers.

8:26 AM  

Post a Comment

<< Home

BlogHer Ad Network
More from BlogHer
Advertise here
BlogHer Privacy Policy

Moms Speak Up

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

A Perfect Post

A Perfect Post

Photo Sharing and Video Hosting at Photobucket

More Bling