Anyone who has shopped for baby products in the last few years knows how concerned parents are about shielding their young children from Bisphenol-A (BPA) exposure. Parents’ BPA fears have been so strong that the chemical industry agreed in 2011 to no longer use the chemical in any baby bottles or sippy cups.

Parents—and indeed all of us—have good reason to be concerned. BPA is a hormone-mimicking compound, and low-level exposure in animals has been linked to reproductive harm, behavioral changes, increased risk of breast and prostate cancer, and early-onset puberty. Studies also suggest that BPA might increase people’s metabolic rate and so contribute to obesity.

BPA is currently so pervasive that over 90 percent of people tested by the Centers for Disease Control were found to have BPA in their urine. BPA has also been found in umbilical cord blood, meaning that it crosses through the placenta during pregnancy. And if mom’s weren’t already concerned enough, BPA can also be transmitted to infants through breast milk.

Fortunately, there are steps you can take to dramatically decrease your exposure to BPA. And remember, these precautions are particularly important for young children and pregnant or nursing women:

1. Do not use polycarbonate, hard plastic (labeled as #7)
2. Never microwave food or drinks while they are inside plastic containers
3. Avoid canned beverages, foods, and soups.  If you cannot eat fresh, choose frozen vegetables, soups and broth in either glass jars or cardboard cartons
4. Avoid dental sealants made from BPA
5. Limit handling of cash register receipts, as around 40% of U.S. receipts contain high levels of BPA

Here’s some good news: Lawmakers across the country—and around the world—have recognized BPA’s risks and have begun to regulate use of the chemical. Eleven U.S. states already ban the substance to some degree, and many more have introduced legislation seeking to do so.  The European Union, Canada, the United Arab Emirates, and even China have banned BPA from all children’s products.

In 2010 the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) acknowledged that “some concern” existed for the impacts of early life exposure to BPA on the developing brain, and that it might also lead to increased chances of prostate cancer later in life.  However, the agency stopped short of banning the product in any way. As a result of a lawsuit filed by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), the agency has agreed to decide by March 31, 2012 whether to ban BPA from use in packaging for food and drinks. NRDC contends that such a complete ban is necessary because state and other bans focused only on BPA in children’s products do not address the major source of human exposure—the bottles and cans holding our foods and beverages.

As we anxiously wait to see if manufacturers will be required to completely phase out BPA, we should all take safety into our own hands and limit our exposure to BPA by taking some simple steps.

 

Leah K. Barron is an associate focusing her practice on environmental and toxic tort litigation. Ms. Barron has worked for several non–profit environmental organizations and graduated from Harvard Law School. READ FULL BIO