News
Health & Safety Update (January 2010)
Experts want BPA chemical ban in baby bottles
Baby bottles containing the chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) should be
banned because there is 'compelling' evidence linking it to breast
cancer risk, campaigners, scientists and health charities have
recently said.
BPA is widely used in plastics and has been a growing concern
for scientists in other countries including Canada and the United
States, where food and drug regulators are examining its
safety.
The Breast Cancer UK charity has urged the Government to ban
plastic baby bottles made from BPA.
BPA is also used to stiffen plastic bottles and line cans and
belongs to a broad class of compounds called endocrine disrupters.
The US Endrocrine Society called in June for more in depth studies
into BPA and presented research showing the chemical can affect the
hearts of women and permanently damage the DNA of mice.
Breast Cancer UK has published a survey of more than 2,000
British adults, which found that around 80% of people want the
Government to act against BPA.
The charity said it expected the Canadian Government to
introduce a regulatory ban on the advertising, sale and importing
of baby bottles containing BPA by the end of the year and said
manufacturers had already withdrawn such bottles from sale in
anticipation of that ban and expected US action.