Raising Happy Healthy Children…Naturally!
Bisphenol A is rearing its ugly head again. That same chemical at the heart of the Toxic Toy law in California, that toy manufacturers and stores are fighting so strongly against being banned in baby bottles.
http://www.nj.com/news/ledger/index.ssf?/base/news-11/117315996466490.xml&coll=1
To add to the Toxic Toy issue that you may have read about here, it appears now that Bisphenol A is added to Coca cola cans to prolong shelf life. As you might remember, Bisphenol A is used in baby bottles (hard plastic) and has been shown to leach into the milk in the bottles. Canada is leading the way to turn the current ridiculous “prove it’s unsafe” method to “prove its safe” when it comes to chemicals. I’d imagine that this means that all cans produced by Coco cola have this chemical in it, US and Canada but that’s a guess. Read on;
http://www.canada.com/montrealgazette/news/story.html?id=e70c8659-3ee7-4bf2-9e11-c32b7a6195ff
From: San Francisco Chronicle (pg. A1), Nov. 19, 2006
TOXIC
San Francisco prepares to ban certain chemicals in products for tots,
but enforcement will be tough — and toymakers question necessity
By Jane Kay, Chronicle Environment Writer
Widely used chemicals with suspected links to cancer and developmental
problems in humans are present in common baby products like the yellow
rubber ducky, bath books and clear plastic bottles, a Chronicle
analysis confirmed.
The toxic chemicals, which are used to harden or soften plastics, can
leach out each time a baby sucks on a favorite doll or gnaws on a cool
teething ring, scientists say.
Starting Dec. 1, a first-in-the-nation ban goes into effect in San
Francisco, prohibiting the sale, distribution and manufacture of baby
products containing any level of bisphenol A and certain levels of
phthalates.
The law, modeled on a European Union ban that started this year,
reflects emerging concerns by environmental health scientists over the
buildup of industrial chemicals in humans, particularly young
children. Especially under scrutiny are chemicals that mimic estrogen,
possibly disrupting the hormonal system and altering the normal
workings of genes.
Yet the trouble is that no one knows for sure how many baby products
contain the chemicals. Stores, many of which are still unaware of the
pending ban, will be unable to decide what to take off the shelves
because manufacturers aren’t required to disclose what chemicals go
into a product. For that reason, The Chronicle set out to test several
common baby toys and found that most of them — even ones labeled
“safe, non-toxic” — contained the chemicals.
Okay, here’s the deal. San Francisco became the first city in our nation to sign into law via The Stop Toxic Toys bill a ban on two toxic chemicals — phthalates and bisphenol-A. YAY..right?
Phthalates have been linked to reproductive birth defects, early onset of puberty, asthma, and reduced testosterone in boys. Bisphenol-A is a known hormone disrupter and even in low doses has been found to cause obesity, early onset of puberty, behavioral problems, reduced sperm production, increased cancer cell growth, and impaired immune function. It is used in hard plastic, as in baby bottles AND has been found to leach out into whatever is in the bottle.
Here’s the kicker, this past Wednesday a group of chemical manufacturers, toymakers, retailers and the owner of the children’s store Citikids (largest children’s dept store in San Fran) initiated a lawsuit to overthrow the ban! Yes, let us use our children as toxic punching bags and guinea pigs. I am so furious.
I am asking everyone to pass this information on and to make a statement with your dollars by avoiding those organizations and anyone associated with them. AND write them and tell them what you think of their ethics and desires to include these clearly toxic chemicals in products we expose our babies to everyday.
Here are the plaintiffs in the lawsuit;
• Citikids Baby News Store - San Francisco’s largest children’s department store;
• California Retailers Association - representing a broad base of California’s retail companies;
• California Grocers Association – representing California’s food industry, including national, statewide and independent retailers and suppliers;
• Juvenile Products Manufacturers Association - representing the manufacturers of children’s products including baby bottles and other feeding products such as cups, plates, bowls and eating utensils, teethers and pacifiers; and
• American Chemistry Council - representing the manufacturers of materials, including BPA, used to make these products.
Mr. Woo of Citikids Baby News, in a press release said in regard to the toxic chemical ban;
“The volume of our sales will drop and so will the number of our employees, since we won’t be able to keep them.”
Why not show him that his sales will drop even more if he pursues this malarcky? I’m honestly thinking of researching further to list EVERY SINGLE company associated with these organizations so we can all avoid them as much as possible. If you are interested in seeing such a list, please comment and I’ll do it.
Here’s more info on these toxic chemicals and why every industry is now having to deal with the alarming data;
http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/Policy/2006/2006-0107ab319.html