Polycarbonate Baby Bottles: Take No Chances

April 21, 2008

We all want to trust “the system” when it comes to issues such as potentially toxic chemicals that could affect our health. But new reports about polycarbonate baby bottles are disturbing. Research from the federal National Toxicology Program is said to raise ‘’some concern” about bisphenol A potentially leaching from polycarbonate baby bottles and other products. Rats exposed to the chemical showed disturbing changes, including some linked to cancer. Canadian health officials say bisphenol A may endanger humans and any may ban the substance from baby bottles. Polycarbonate producers such as Sabic Innovative Plastics are referring questions to Dr. Steven Hentges, a polycarbonate expert at the American Chemistry Council. The ACC has released a very guarded statement, which says that the new studies confirm their position that exposure to BPA is negligible. Dr. Hentges calls on the U.S. government to conduct more studies to affirm the safety of BPA. I wonder what Dr. Hentges is telling his family members about use of polycarbonate baby bottles, which are typically exposed to high heat in a dishwasher? I’ll bet he’s telling them to take no chances. Use safer BPA-free alternatives. Why take any chances? There are limits (big limits) to how far we should go to protect our chemical industry.

It’s not clear to what extent there are also health concerns about epoxy resins, which are typically made with bisphenol A and widely used as a coating in food n beverage cans.

Posted by Doug Smock on April 21, 2008 | Comments (4)

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May 8, 2008

In response to: Polycarbonate Baby Bottles: Take No Chances
kendall commented:

i am a senior in high school with a 3 month old. i am doing my senior research paper on polycarbanate baby bottles and have recently changed my daughter to the drop-in playtex system vs. the Avent system she was on becase of the horrible findings that i am discovering about " hard plastics" i suggest all new mothers or expecting mothers do the same.

May 6, 2008

In response to: Polycarbonate Baby Bottles: Take No Chances
KC commented:

Otherwise healthy, fit, non-smoking people get cancer every day. St. Jude's Children's Hospital residents certainly are not on the decline. The chemical industry will need to accept a paradigm shift and adapt. People around the world are through watching family members suffer from cancer.

April 23, 2008

In response to: Polycarbonate Baby Bottles: Take No Chances
Alan commented:

While the jury of public opinion has condemned BPA for all uses, a little math shows the the risks for other applications (e.g. Nalgene water bottles for camping) really are negligible. According the the EFSA, the EU equivalent to the FDA, permissible exposure limits for humans would require drinking somewhere in excess of 500 liters of water per day out of a polycarbonate bottle. (And a fresh one every time at that...the leachate declines with use.) This is very likely to be the same sort of scare as there was over saccharine several decades ago. The once-maligned sweetener is back in many products.

April 21, 2008

In response to: Polycarbonate Baby Bottles: Take No Chances
... commented:

which brings up the question: what's wrong with glass?

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