Federal Ban on BPA in Baby Bottles Offers Limited Protections

The Food and Drug Administration's announcement today banning the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and children's cups still leaves the public exposed to the hormone-disrupting chemical in food packaging, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council.

BPA, a chemical used to make plastics and resins, is linked to an array of adverse health effects, including cancer, obesity, abnormal brain development and reproductive problems.

The following is a statement from Dr. Sarah Janssen, senior scientist in the public health program at NRDC:

"This is only a baby step in the fight to eradicate BPA. To truly protect the public, FDA needs to ban BPA from all food packaging. This half-hearted action--taken only after consumers shifted away from BPA in children's products -- is inadequate. FDA continues to dodge the bigger questions of BPA's safety."

Background:

Canada, the European Union, China, and at least five other countries as well as 11 U.S. states have prohibited the use of BPA in children's products. Some U.S. canned food manufacturers have voluntarily removed BPA from can linings, but its use remains legal in all canned food and beverage packaging.

In March, FDA rejected NRDC's petition to ban BPA in all food packaging, but the agency emphasized it was not making a final determination of BPA's safety. Instead it would continue to examine the ongoing research of BPA's effects on health.

The FDA opened a separate public comment period today on a petition to ban BPA in infant formula containers, but just like baby bottles and children's cups, manufacturers have largely abandoned using the chemical in formula containers.

To read more about the FDA and BPA, see Dr. Janssen's blog post here:https://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/sjanssen/fda_responds_to_bpa_industry_w.html

Learn more about NRDC's Fix The FDA campaign here: https://www.nrdc.org/health/fda/