Hundreds of studies show BPA causes health problems at low doses,
linking the chemical to rising rates of learning disabilities,
diabetes, childhood asthma, and breast and prostate cancer. But FDA
lack authority to regulate BPA--that's why Chicago, and states like
Minnesota and Wisconsin have passed their own bans.
The Illinois legislature will vote soon on whether to remove BPA from
infant formual cans, baby food jars, and baby bottles. Safe formula is
critical to children's health, and BPA-free packaging is readily
available, but the chemical industry lobbyists are pushing back hard,
and we need your help to win!
The Problem: Bisphenol-A is Toxic, Synthetic Sex Hormone Used to
Make Food Packaging
Rates of asthma, diabetes, childhood cancers, infertility, and learning
and behavioral disorders keep rising, but the federal law meant to
protect public health and the environment from toxic chemicals hasn't
changed in 33 years. That's why state and local governments are taking
their own actions to end the use of known toxic chemicals.
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is one of those chemicals. Although toxic—it mimics
the hormone estrogen—BPA is still used in most food can linings and
hard clear plastic containers, including baby bottles and toddler's
sippy cups, from which it leaches into food. The Centers for Disease
Control (CDC) reports that 93 percent of tested Americans have BPA in
their bodies. Children have the highest levels of BPA, followed by
teens and then adults.
The U.S. National Toxicology Program has found that levels at which
Americans are routinely exposed to BPA are the same levels that have
had a litany of harmful effects in animal studies. BPA is linked to
chronic health problems that are on the rise in people, including asthma, infertility, obesity,
diabetes, neuro- behavioral problems like ADHD, and breast and prostate
cancers.1
“The body of evidence that documents harmful effects of BPA at low
doses—doses very similar to what is found in humans—is very compelling
when examined as a whole, says Dr. Gail Prins, a University of Illinois
at Chicago physiology professor who has studied Bisphenol-A's effects
on the prostate, including its links to prostate cancer. "To ignore
this scientific data any longer will be seen as negligence.”
Recent Progress
That's why, Environment Illinois has been working to remove BPA from
food containers:
In November 2007, we released the results of a
national biomonitoring project, which tested the blood and urine of 35
Americans for three types of toxic chemicals, and found Bisphenol-A in
everyone it tested.
In February 2008, we collaborated
with public health and environmental health groups from across the
country to release “Baby’s Toxic Bottle,” a report that found
that baby bottles leached significant amounts of Bisphenol-A when
subjected to tests designed to simulate repeated washings.
In May 2009
we worked with Aldermen Mannie Flores and Ed Burke to pass the the
world's first municipal ban on BPA in Chicago.
We've also worked to educate the public. Last year the The
Chicago Tribune, The Chicago Sun-Times, The Daily Herald and
The Joliet-Herald News all editorialized in support of a statewide
ban on BPA.
In January 2009 the FDA said it lacks the authority it needs to
regulate BPA2, prompting states including Wisconsin to enact
statewide BPA bans. But with strong opposition from lobbyists of the
American Chemistry Council, the chemical industry's trade group, so far
four states have managed to ban this chemical.
The Solution: Pass the Illinois BPA-Free Kids Act
Illinois state legislators should pass the BPA-Free Kids Act (S.B. 3750
and H.B. 6088), sponsored by State Rep. Elaine Nekritz and State Sen.
Dan Kotowski, to eliminate BPA from infant formual cans, baby food
jars, and baby bottles. Safe formula is critical to children's health,
and BPA-free packaging is readily available. The BPA-Free Kids Act will
reduce children's exposure to a synthetic sex hormone during their most
vulnerable years. . . . and its also the best way for state
policy-makers to prompt federal leadership on this issue, which has so
far been absent.
The BPA-Free Kids Act is supported by a coalition of public health,
environmental, faith-based, and consumer protection groups as well as
by the Illinois EPA and the Illinois Attorney General.
We're also educating legislators and news reporters about the need to
move beyond a “one chemical at a time” approach, and toward a sensible,
comprehensive chemical policy which protects the environment by
encouraging the use of safer alternatives, shifts the burden of proving
safety from taxpayers to chemical manufacturers, and prevents chemicals
known to be hazardous from being used in the first place.
Environment Illinois is calling for an overhaul of national chemicals
policy: any policy should require that chemicals be tested for safety
before being used in the marketplace, eliminate the use of the most
inherently dangerous chemicals, to promote the development and use of
safer alternatives.
