Are you worried about exposing your baby to bisphenol A, also known as BPA? It is a chemical that has been shown to cause fertility and sexual maturity problems in the lab. In low doses, the chemical has also been shown to cause behavior and brain changes, as well as possible reduced viability and low birth weight in fetuses. There has also been a study that shows that the more often babies are exposed to BPA through shampoo, soap and lotion that are stored in BPA containers, the more of the chemical they have in their systems.
Not to worry about any of that says the federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in a report released last Friday. The FDA says that in the trace amounts that could leach from plastics won’t harm infants or adults. Many parents (as well as environmental groups and even some politicians) disagree with the report.
The FDA report did acknowledge that we don’t completely understand the effects the chemical may have on humans. It was reported by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) that that approximately 93 percent of all Americans have traces of the chemical in their urine.
BPA is one of the most commonly used chemicals today. More than 6 billion pounds of BPA is produced every year in the United States. It is used in everything from sippy cups to sunglasses. CDs and DVDs also generally contain BPA. Chances are pretty good that for every five items in your home, at least one or two contain BPA. This is just a guess on my part based on all of the common items that contain BPA.
Could the timing of the report be a political move? Canada announced that it plans to ban BPA in baby bottles, and both state (California) and federal government in the US have introduced legislation to ban BPA in children’s products.
In September, a meeting will be held, and outside advisors will debate the report’s findings. What do you think?
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