FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE                            FEBRUARY 7, 2008

Contact:    Mary Brune, 510-814-0360 mary@safemilk.org
Making Our Milk Safe (MOMS)
Janet Nudleman, janet@breastcancerfund.org
Breast Cancer Fund

Dozens of state and national environmental health organizations in the U.S. and Canada are calling for an immediate moratorium on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and other food and beverage containers, based on the results of a new study that demonstrates the toxic chemical BPA leaches from plastic baby bottles when heated.

BPA, a synthetic chemical that mimics estrogen, is used to make hard polycarbonate plastic. Ninety-five percent of all baby bottles on the market are made with BPA. The results of the U.S. study show that, when new bottles are heated, those manufactured by Avent, Evenflo, Dr. Brown’s and Disney/First Years leached between 4.7 – 8.3 parts per billion of BPA. Recent research on animals shows that BPA can be harmful by disrupting development at doses below these levels.

Results of the study, “Baby's Toxic Bottle: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Baby Bottles,” commissioned by Environmental Defence of Canada and researched by the laboratory of Frederick vom Saal, PhD., at the University of Missouri, contribute to a growing body of evidence that calls for immediate protective action to reduce public exposure to BPA, especially for infants and children. Last month, Michigan Representatives John Dingell and Bart Stupak launched a Congressional investigation to ascertain the safety of BPA used to line the cans of infant formula products.

“For manufacturers to continuing using a chemical known to leach from baby products is irresponsible,” said Mary Brune, Co-founder & Director of MOMS (Making Our Milk Safe), one of the organizations that released the report. “Parents need to have confidence that the products they’re buying are safe for their families. We’re asking for an immediate moratorium on the use of BPA in baby bottles and other food and beverage containers.”

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. Scientists, physicians, and public health professionals suspect that existing scientific evidence on BPA indicates a real risk to human health.

 “We know a woman’s lifetime risk of breast cancer is directly linked to her lifetime exposure to estrogen – both natural and synthetic estrogen” said Janet Nudelman, Director of Program and Policy for the Breast Cancer Fund.   “It’s outrageous that manufacturers of some baby bottles are exposing little girls to BPA, a synthetic plasticizer that mimics estrogen, and possibly increasing that little girl’s risk of breast cancer later in life, especially when safe alternatives are available.”

 In addition to baby bottles, BPA is used to make hard plastic used 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. There are no existing safety standards regulating BPA under U.S. laws, even for products used by infants and young children. Nine states have introduced legislation that would restrict the use of BPA in children’s products, including baby bottles. www.babystoxicbottle.org/stateinitiatives.

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. More tips are available at www.babystoxicbottle.org/whatparentscando.

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.www.babystoxicbottle.org/petition

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.