The Washington Toxics Coalition is working this session to pass a bill to stop the use of the toxic chemical bisphenol A in baby bottles and sippy cups.
The Safe Baby Bottle Act of 2009 – HB 1180and SB 5282 – would protect children from BPA by banning it in baby bottles, sippy cups, and other food containers intended for children three years of age and under.
Consumers should be able to buy a product for their children and grandchildren without worrying whether it contains harmful chemicals, Ivy Sager-Rosenthal, spokeswomen for the coalition, said.
Bisphenol A is a hormone-disrupting chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic. Numerous studies have linked it to cancer, obesity, reproductive problems, and hyperactivity. It doesn’t belong in items children eat and drink out of everyday, like baby bottles and sippy cups.
The chemical industry continues to spend millions of dollars to keep BPA on store shelves and in the mouths of babies. The Washington State Legislature has told the chemical industry ‘no’ before by passing the nation’s toughest standards on lead in toys. They should do so again by passing the Safe Baby Bottle.
For details on the bills, see the coalition’s Featured Campaign page at www.watoxics.org/campaign.
The Washington Toxics Coalition works to protect public health and the environment by eliminating toxic pollution. The coalition promotes alternatives, advocates policies, and educates people to create a healthy environment.
If you’re interested in the work of the coalition, you can download publications on toxic chemicals and how to avoid them, read a newsletter, volunteer, or join the organization.
Disclosure: I’m a member of the Washington Toxics Coalition.
For more information for boomer consumers, see my blog The Survive and Thrive Boomer Guide.