You may have heard conflicting reports about harmful plastic in baby bottles and are concerned for your child’s welfare. Scientists don’t yet know everything about the chemicals in children’s products that have been associated with development and health problems. Studies by the National Institutes of Health alerted the U.S. government to possible hazards from ingestion of phthalates and bisphenol A (BPA), ingredients prevalent in plastic baby bottles and toys.
Use
Such chemicals as BPA and phthalates are added when making polycarbonate or polyvinyl chloride (PVC) plastics to make them more rigid or flexible. BPA helps give polycarbonate a hard, glasslike consistency. Because it is much lighter in weight than traditional glass, polycarbonate became a popular material for plastic baby bottles. Phthalates make PVC less likely to shatter under normal conditions, so it was used for a wide variety of children’s products, including cups and toys.
Health Risks
These chemicals can be ingested by babies and children through mouth contact with unsafe plastic material in bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers and toys. Children’s tolerance levels are lower than adults’. Heating plastic baby bottles for nursing increases the leaching action of the chemicals, making children even more vulnerable. Over time, exposure to BPA or phthalates may cause abnormal development of reproductive, endocrine, respiratory and other body systems.
Controversy
The U.S. government, however, while banning phthalates as dangerous substances in children’s products, does not yet consider the research on BPA health risks definitive. Its 2008 legislation on phthalates did not include regulation of BPA. In the same year, Health Canada did find BPA enough of a threat to young children that it called for the nationwide removal of the unsafe plastic in products marketed for ages 18 months and under.
Reaction
Consumer reaction fueled efforts by lobbyists, manufacturers and retailers to regulate the use of unsafe plastic in children’s products. In May 2009, Chicago was the first city to require BPA-free plastic baby bottles and sippy cups on store shelves. Marketers, including Gerber, Playtex, Walmart and Toys “R” Us, took it upon themselves to offer BPA-free alternatives.
Avoidance
It can be tricky to stay away from unsafe plastic, because testing, legislation and reinforcement of FDA rules take time to accomplish. Meanwhile, parents should read product labels and avoid PVC and polycarbonate materials. Items labeled polyethylene, PETE, polypropylene or recycling code 7 are considered safe plastics as of December 2009.
