Study shows that fresh foods, fruits and
vegetables can lower your BPA intake

- By Sun-Times Media - April 1, 2011

Bisphenol A, more commonly known as BPA, is a highly carcinogenic chemical that has been used for more than 40 years in the manufacture of many hard plastic food containers such as baby bottles and reusable cups and the lining of metal food and beverage cans, including canned liquid infant formula. Trace amounts of BPA has been found in foods packaged in these containers.

People can reduce their exposure to hormone-disrupting chemicals, including bisphenol-A, by eating more fruits and vegetables and less food from plastic containers and metal cans, a new study shows.

A group of 20 San Francisco residents had 66 percent less BPA in their urine after three days on a diet of fresh, organic and unpackaged food, scientists found. Their levels of another chemical, bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate or DEHP, fell 53 percent to 56 percent.

"The is the first study to provide clear evidence that food packaging is a major source of BPA and DEHP exposure in children and adults," says co-author Julia Brody, executive director of the Silent Spring Institute, a Massachusetts-based non-profit that studies environmental factors in women's health.

BPA is so prevalent in food packaging and other consumer items that prior research has detected its presence in at least 90 percent of Americans. It's used to harden plastics in products such as bottles and cups and is also found in the linings of metal cans and thermal cash register receipts. Phthalates such as DEHP are used to soften PVC and other plastics.

Much debate exists about the safety of these chemicals, which have been linked in studies to breast cancer, heart disease, diabetes and other health problems.

But, in January 2010, the federal Food and Drug Administration expressed "some concerns" about its potential effects on the brain development of fetuses, infants and children. Though the federal agency did not say the chemical is unsafe, FDA spokesman Douglas Karas, noting that infants are particularly sensitive because their neuorological and endocrine systems are still developing, said, "FDA supports reasonable steps to reduce exposure of infants to BPA in the food supply."

More American cities and states, led by Chicago, Connecticut and Minnesota, are banning the use of BPA in food and drink containers intended for children 3 and younger. Canada has banned its use in baby bottles.

Gannett News Service

BPA Banned in New York State

- By Long Island Press on June 26th, 2010

The State Senate and Assembly have approved legislation prohibiting the manufacture, distribution, and sale of certain child products containing bisphenol-A (BPA) which are intended for use by or upon a child.

The law prohibits the use of BPA in products intended for children three years of age or under. Child products targeted include pacifiers, unfilled beverage containers, baby bottles, baby bottle lines and cups, cup lids, straws, and sippy cups. Provisions in the law lay out civil penalties for violations that occur.

The legislation passed unanimously through both houses, with the Senate voting 58-0 and the Assembly approving the bill 113-0.

"New York State has taken a significant step forward in the battle to remove BPA from products designed for infants and young children," says Assemblyman Steven Englebright (D-Setauket). "Until the Federal government acts decisively on BPA we must continue to push the envelope through state legislative action and public awareness campaigns until BPA ceases to be an issue because it is no longer used in children's products."

BPA is an estrogen-mimicking endocrine disrupter chemical used in the production of epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics, and is the main ingredient in hard polycarbonate plastics. BPA has been linked to breast and prostate cancer, early-onset puberty, and polycystic ovary syndrome.

Four counties in New York have enacted local laws restricting the use of BPA in sippy cups and baby bottles. New York State joins other states in trying to combat child exposure to BPA. Vermont, Washington, Minnesota, Wisconsin, Maryland, and Connecticut have enacted similar laws. In addition, Canada has announced that it is placing strict limits on BPA in infant formula cans, and WalMart Canada has announced that it will immediately stop selling baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers, food containers, and water bottles that contain BPA.