BPA-Free? Not So Much

Amy Kuras — Tue, 06 May 2008 19:54:00 GMT

We're all worried these days about bisphenol-A (or BPA), a chemcial that leaches from hard, clear plastic polycarbonate baby bottles and can cause disruptions ot the endocrine system
So what a fabulous idea from Amazon to open their BPA-Free Baby Store, gathering a selection of their products that don't use the chemical and putting them all in one place on the site.
Only one problem: Some of the products do contain BPA.
According to Z Recommends, which uncovered the problem, only four of 14 products lumped in the BPA-Free Store contained BPA, and of those, two had it in the handles or a flip-top that covered a sippy spout –in other words, areas that were unlikely to leach (BPA leaches when the plastic containing it is heated, which is why bottles are such a concern).
Two of the others, though, were bottles: Gerber's ComfortHold bottle and Dr. Brown's standard bottle. In the case of the Dr. Brown's bottle, it may have been a mix-up –the company recently introduced a glass bottle and announced plans to release a BPA-free plastic one, but clicking on the product ID number went right to their polycarbonate models.
None of the manufacturers are claiming their products are BPA-free – Amazon, however, did. A quick check of Amazon before I posted this found the offending products gone from the BPA-Free Shop, nore did they come up in a search for "BPA-Free."

Z Recommends has a very detailed report on the issue on their site, so follow the link. Their main concern, and mine, is that people could be misled into buying bottles that have BPA in them. Being a smart consumer saves the day.

Glass Bottles. Helping Kids Suck or Sip Toxin-Free?

Jessica Ashley (Sassafrass) — Sat, 05 May 2007 17:27:00 GMT

Glass baby bottles have made a comeback. Although plastic solved the safety issue of shattering bottles and cups generations ago, parents are returning to glass in reaction to reports that toxins are leached through the most typical kinds of plastic used today. Some retailers are reporting a ten-fold rise in glass bottle purchases, making anxious parents even more worried while they wait for back-orders to be fulfilled.

Of concern is chemical bisphenol A, which has been reported to reside in a baby bottle, some toys, canned food lining, anti-cavity sealants and electronics. One side says bisphenol A can be leached when heated and has been shown, even at low levels of exposure, to cause estrogen-like changes in lab animals. The other says, not so, assessing that the scientific proof that minimal exposure to the chemical validates the concern. The spokesman for the American Chemistry Council questions the alternative use of glass bottles, saying, "I think parents are arguably being misled into buying products that may not be as safe."

While one parent in this article says that switching to glass bottles is one small thing he can do to contribute to the health and well-being of his daughter, he also admits she'll eventually be inundated with exposure to plastics.

I have to admit, I have no idea what to make of all this

Do I want my child to be exposed to a toxin that might cause bodily changes that lead to cancer? Of course not. Do I think that glass bottles and cups are lovely and much more sturdy than their tippy, dishwasher-scratched counterparts? Of course. In protecting my child against toxin leaching would I have been putting him at risk every time he hurled a bottle or sippy cup from a stroller? And is there a daycare in the United States that would allow my kid to show up on the playground or in a class with ten other kids toting glass? Oy.

I am all about the happy medium. I would be happy to make an effort to use glassware at meals. At home. Where we have a rug. Over carpeting.
And I would be willing to take into consideration the nine tips outlined by the Environmental Working Group to minimize kids' exposure to concerning chemicals. The only thing is, just reading this list -- which ranges from avoiding food wrapped in plastic to not letting your child put plastic toys in their mouth toonly choosing PVC-free wooden toys -- stresses me out as much as the idea of switching from plastic to glass.

What I'd love is for some concerned and realistic parent who stands smack in the middle with so many of us to outline some ideas that we can all live with that won't have us stressed out or returning every single baby shower gift we got back to the store. Any takers?

Strollerderby : glass bottles

BPA-Free? Not So Much

Glass Bottles. Helping Kids Suck or Sip Toxin-Free?