Retailers Withdraw Plastics Containing BPA

April 2008

Apr 22 2008 UPDATE – Several retailers have withdrawn plastic products that contain the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), which is being investigated for its hormonal side effects.

Nalgene, which manufactures popular plastic water bottles, and Playtex, which makes an array of baby products, said they will stop using BPA, an ingredient in polycarbonate plastic. Toys 'R' Us announced that it will eliminate bottles and other "baby feeding products" containing bisphenol A from its inventory by the end of the year. Wal-Mart said that it will stop selling baby bottles made with BPA by early next year.

Parents can avoid bisphenol A by using glass bottles or steering clear of plastics labeled with a number 7 recycling code. Bottles such as BornFree, Medela and Adiri, are now marketed as BPA-free.

Apr 16 2008 ORIGINAL ALERT – A preliminary government report has found startling facts about the safety of baby bottles and other shatterproof plastic containers. The federal National Toxicology Program concluded that bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical used to make plastic products, may be linked to an array of hormonal problems.

Experiments on rats have shown that when fed or injected with low doses of the plastics chemical BPA, the animals developed prostrate tumors, urinary system problems, and early puberty. The group's findings are similar to those of researchers assembled by the National Institutes of Health, who in August called for more research on the effects of bisphenol on human health. Most Americans are exposed to trace amounts of bisphenol A, which seeps out of water bottles, baby bottles, and other plastic items.

The National Toxicology Program is composed of scientists from the Centers for Disease Control, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Institutes of Health. The group will issue a final version of its report in May. State lawmakers in New Jersey have already passed a bill that bans the sale of all products containing bisphenol.