With all the discussion on bottles, I thought you might find this
interesting.

Linda Hill 

1. Breaking news: Experts cite "concern" over polycarbonate baby bottles 2.
Toy recalls: what you need to know about lead poisoning.

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1. Breaking news: Experts cite "concern" over polycarbonate baby bottles

Are certain plastic baby bottles dangerous? Readers of our new 3rd edition
(out in stores now) may remember our discussion of the safety of
polycarbonate baby bottles-and how a federal panel studying the issue was
about to weigh in on the issue. 

Well, the results are in. Here's the scoop:

An independent review panel assigned by the National Institute of
Environmental Health Sciences and the National Toxicology Program weighed in
on the toxic plastics debate last week. Their conclusion: they have "some
concerns" about chemical used to make polycarbonate bottles, Bisphenol A
(BPA), potentially causing neurologic and behavioral problems in fetuses,
infants, and children.

What does that mean for your baby and those baby bottles and sippy cups
sitting in your kitchen? Here are the most common questions parents are
asking, and our answers based on what we know.

 

Q. What the heck is BPA? Why is it dangerous?

Clear plastic baby bottles (as well as some food containers and water
bottles) are made of polycarbonate, which contains a chemical called
Bisphenol A (BPA). It is the BPA that makes the hard, clear plastic bottles
. . . well, hard and clear.

Here's the rub: BPA's chemical bond with polycarbonate breaks down over
time-especially with repeated washings or heating of the bottle. As a
result, BPA may leach out of the plastic bottle or sippy cup . . . and into
the liquid (that is, breast milk or formula). BPA has been used since the
1950's in a variety of products and we know that humans ingest (and
eliminate) small amounts of this substance on a daily basis considering 95%
of humans studied have it in their urine.

While most data BPA comes from animal research, studies show even low-level
BPA MAY be linked to everything from early puberty to breast cancer, to
attention and developmental problems. It's hard to say that humans will have
the same health consequences, but there is certainly enough concern that it
deserves investigating the effects on humans.

The Environmental Protection Agency has set an "acceptable" or "safe" level
of daily BPA exposure to be 50 micrograms per body kilogram per day.
However, some scientists worry that humans may be exposed to up to ten times
that daily dose. 

We wrote a detailed article on BPA and plastic baby bottles in our newly
revised 3rd edition of Baby 411. It is available online at our website:

 <http://www.windsorpeak.com/baby411/bpa.html>
http://www.windsorpeak.com/baby411/bpa.html

Q. Do we really know that these bottles are dangerous to humans?

No, we don't. There have been no human studies on BPA-so far, researchers
have only found problems in animal research. 

There is a split opinion here among scientists. The same federal panel that
said it had "some concern" about behavioral and developmental problems in
babies also stated that links to other ailments like birth defects and adult
ailments were "negligible."

That contrasts to the group of 38 scientists who last week called the threat
from BPA as "significant." 

But the fact the federal panel said there were some concerns for the health
of babies tipped the balance for us.

As a parent, we realize it can be hard to decide what to do when the debate
is so heated. As always, our mantra is "show us the science." We believe
enough science is now in to recommend a change in course.

Q. Isn't it a bit alarmist to say stop using these bottles? 

The truth is we won't know for YEARS if there is a human health problem.
And, it could be YEARS more before the government decides to take some
regulatory action. 

Our opinion: if concerns exist today (and that is backed up by reputable
scientific research), then why not try to limit your baby's exposure to this
chemical? 

We suggest stop using polycarbonate baby bottles and sippy cups now. Since
there are quite a few BPA-free bottles on the market (see below), we believe
this is an easy call for parents. 

Q. The Juvenile Products Manufacturer's Association said plastic baby
bottles are safe. 

In a recent statement, the JPMA said the federal panels report on BPA
"reaffirms the safety of plastic baby bottles."

With all due respect to the fine folks at the JPMA, we're not sure they were
reading the same report we did. If they did, they would note this sentence:
"The Expert Panel expressed some concern that Exposure to BPA causes neural
and behavioral effects."

Click here to read it:

 <http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/chemicals/bisphenol/draftBPA_MtgSumm080807.pdf>
http://cerhr.niehs.nih.gov/chemicals/bisphenol/draftBPA_MtgSumm080807.pdf

We realize you can argue that the panel didn't call for the ban of products
with BPA. But, that's NOT what the panel was asked to do. It will now take
years of debate among scientists, researchers and politicians as to the best
course to take with BPA.

For the record, Avent told us they believe their bottles are safe and pose
no health threat to babies.

Q. Which bottles should we NOT use? Which ones are BPA-free?

Polycarbonate baby bottles make up about 90% of the bottle market. The most
common polycarbonate bottle is Avent's Natural Feeding Bottle and Dr.
Brown's Natural flow. But other major baby product companies like Playtex
and Gerber also make polycarbonate bottles. 

See our website at baby411.com for pictures of bottles containing BPA:

 <http://www.windsorpeak.com/babybargains/BPAbottles.html>
http://www.windsorpeak.com/babybargains/BPAbottles.html

Here are the alternatives that are BPA-free:

. Use glass bottles. Obviously, there is a risk of injury to baby or mom if
the bottle is dropped, so glass isn't a perfect alternative.

. Use bottles made of opaque plastic. These bottles (made of polyethylene or
polypropylene) do not contain BPA. 

. Consider a BPA-free plastic bottle. Born Free makes a BPA-free clear
plastic bottle (Newbornfree.com) sold at Whole Foods. But these cost about
$10 each, twice the price of Avent bottles.

. Use a drop-in system. For example the Playtex Drop-in System is BPA free
(that is, the bottle liners do not contain BPA). Avent's Tempo liners are
another example.

Pictures of BPA-free bottles are here:

 <http://www.windsorpeak.com/babybargains/BPAFREEbottles.html>
http://www.windsorpeak.com/babybargains/BPAFREEbottles.html

 

Q. Is there a way to tell if a bottle has BPA?

A. Unfortunately, it isn't easy. Here's a general guide:

BAD:

. Bottles that have a #7 on their recycling label most likely are made of
polycarbonate (and contain BPA).

GOOD:

. Bottles that have a #2, #4 , #5 are made of polyethylene or
polypropylene-these do NOT have BPA.

We call on the government to require disclosure of which bottles have BPA,
so consumers can make an informed choice.

Q. What about sippy cups?

A. Basically, the same advice applies: avoid those made of polycarbonate.
Sippy cups made of opaque plastic are fine.

Q. What about breast-pump collection bottles?

A. Again, avoid polycarbonate bottles (Avent Isis is an example) and choose
BPA-free options. For example, all of Medela's bottles are made from
BPA-free plastics.

Q. I just bought $50 worth of Avent bottles. Are you saying I should throw
them out? 

A. Yes. We realize this in an inconvenience-but if you think about it,
buying replacement bottles would run only $50 to $100. When it comes to
safety, we think this is a worthwhile investment. 

What if you don't want to give up your polycarbonate bottles? While we don't
recommend that option, to lower the amount of BPA that may leach out, avoid
heating the bottles in a dishwasher, microwave, or sterilizer. And, toss out
any baby bottles that are cracked. Again, we believe the safest course is to
replace the bottles with BPA-free alternatives.

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