August 7th, 2009 @ 11:11 pm
Baby steps are better than no steps I guess? This week Massachusetts issued a warning to parents of young children and pregnant women to avoid plastics that may contain BPA (bisphenol A). While I would much rather they ban all products containing BPA, like Connecticut did a few months back, at least they are acknowledging that this is a dangerous chemical and that there are significant concerns regarding BPA exposure to young children.
According to an article in the Boston Globe:
“The state’s warning is precise for parents of children up to age 2: Avoid transparent (clear or colored) plastic containers or baby bottles with the recycling number 7 and the letters PC (which stands for polycarbonate); use glass or stainless steel instead. If plastics are still being used, parents should avoid heating those containers because that can increase the release of the chemical. They should also wash the containers by hand with warm water and soap, instead of placing them in dishwashers.
Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should also eat, or cook with, fresh or frozen products instead of canned foods that may contain BPA, to reduce fetal or infant exposure to the chemical.”
While the FDA has yet to acknowledge any major concern, they have been taking a closer look and will be coming out with a report on August 17th. Stay tuned!
