BPA Ordinance - For Babies Only

An ordinance went into effect on January 31 in Chicago restricting businesses from selling "any container designed to be filled with food or liquid to be used by a child under the age 3 that contains BPA." Mom is excited that local government is starting to take action against BPA and realizes that as with all things, baby steps must be taken.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical that is used primarily in the production of plastics. It's all around us and we don't even realize it. But what exactly is BPA and why is it everywhere?

BPA, like so many chemicals is nothing more than carbon, hydrogen, and oxygen. Mom is always telling me how most of the world is made from these three elements and how it's just the structure or how they are put together that makes chemicals different. Of course none of this makes sense to me but maybe it will to you.

BPA is used to make polycarbonate plastic resins, epoxy resins, and other products. Polycarbonate plastic is a light plastic but also a tough plastic that has a high heat resistance and is cheap to produce. Because of these qualities, BPA can be used in a variety of products. Just look around you and you will see that you are most likely surrounded by BPA. Mom's laptop is practically make from plastic as are the remote controls sitting at my feet. Speaking of feet, there's a lot of plastic in shoes and even clothes, not to mention the hangers those clothes are hung on. And what about the tv we are watching? It's got plastic on and in it. The kitchen is filled with kitchen and there's a lot of plastic in the car. It would be virtually impossible to go through an entire hour without using plastic.

There was a lot of press last year about BPA in plastic water bottles. This prompted many people to switch to stainless steel containers like Klean Kanteen. For those who preferred plastic over stainless steel, BPA-free water bottles flooded the market. Mom prefers stainless steel bottles and is still a little mad over the Sigg fiasco that occurred last year. Reusable bottles are always better than disposable, so just choose your bottle wisely.

So we know that BPA is everywhere but is it bad for us? Mom calls this the 10 million dollar question. I'm not sure what that means but I do know that everyone has an opinion on the subject. Whom to trust? The government? The experts? Good question.

BPA is a hormone disruptor and most authorities agree that it could potentially cause harm to humans. Hmmm. What about pugs? I guess the jury is still out on that. BPA mimics estrogens in the body and binds to the same receptors as natural female hormones. Huh? Did I lose you? I lost myself! The bottom line is that hormones regulate the body and disrupting them is nothing short of bad news. Even though BPA has been around and used for over 40 years, it recently started getting lots of press because more and more things are made from plastic. More plastic means your exposure to BPA increases.

The FDA stands firm in its stance that BPA is safe in containers that hold food, but Mom is not convinced of this at all. You should never heat anything in plastic because BPA leaches from the plastic containers that hold food and liquids. I'm primarily talking about microwaving food items in plastic containers. BPA leaching occurs when plastic is exposed to heat and we all know how hot items that are microwaved get even after only a few seconds. You should also never pour hot liquids into plastic because the same thing happens. This is a basic chemical reaction that happens as the heat breaks down the plastic, releasing the chemicals into the foods and liquids. When you eat foods or drink liquids that have been heated in plastic containers you ingest BPA. Yuk!

But even if you never heat anything in plastic, you may be exposed to BPA via canned goods. You read that right - canned goods. Have you ever looked inside a can of green beans after pouring the green beans out? The can is lined. Lined with plastic. Plastic containing BPA. But why is there plastic inside cans? It's all about shelf life here folks. Adding plastic to cans extends the shelf life of canned goods in addition to locking out external contaminants. So lock in internal contaminants and lock out external contaminants? Right! There are a few companies that do not line their cans with plastic containing BPA, one of which is Eden Foods. More companies are looking into moving away from BPA so keep your eyes open for them.

Back to the ordinance. Bottles, cups, or sippy cups are the items listed in the Chicago ordinance. In order to sell these plastic items, shop owners must adhere labels to them stating they are BPA free. Business that violate the ordinance face fines of up to $500. Who is going to police this? The BPA police? Mom's hoping citizens will make themselves aware of the ordinance and report businesses that do not adhere to it.

Mom feels like the ordinance is a good start but that all containers that hold food or liquids shouldn't contain BPA. Children are definitely exposed to BPA at high levels and since they do not a voice in the products they use, the ordinance is a great way to limit their exposure. Mom's hoping that the city council will work on an ordinance to restrict businesses from selling all food or liquid containers that contain BPA. None of us should put our health at risk because of something that can and should be avoided. Educate yourself about BPA and make decisions based on the information you find. You have a say in what goes in to and on your body. Please choose wisely.