Meeting to Protect BPA

Maybe you've read some of my articles on High Fructose Corn Syrup? In the past I've tried to bring health issues, and the hypocrisy of those issues to these electronic pages.

One issue that I haven't spent much time on is the bisphenol-A (BPA). BPA is found in all kinds of cool plastic products, such as baby bottles and drinking things, like water bottles. As studies continue to link bisphenol-A (BPA) with all sorts of health problems, states and cities are banning the chemical from baby bottles and sippy cups and Congress is considering a ban in all food containers. One of the few times that I agree with Nanny State politics - however, the Free Market is taking care of taking this chemical compound out of plastic products all by itself.

But for those who manufacture the stuff - they're a little pissed. So, last week the industry groups who make BPA products held a private meeting to devise strategy to protect the use of BPA. And someone secretly sent the notes of that meeting to the Washington Post. And here's this study [www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov] that says that average levels of BPA in humans are at or above the levels which were shown to cause harm to animals. And seeing as how BPA leaches from containers into food - yum. Between that and the Teflon - What? Oh, heating up that pork chop in that plastic container is what got me? Damn! I could have been smoking this whole time!

The groups in attendance of the secret meeting proposed a $500,000 PR campaign to "get the BPA perspective in the media mix." Only half a million? All that's going to get them is a three colored pamphlet and a few fake VNR's on your local newscasts. I can imagine that they're attempt to scare consumers with misleading warnings like "Do you want to have access to baby food anymore?" or parading a young pregnant woman around to talk about the great things that BPA can do for her and her baby...

The Post quotes from the notes, but the blog Effect Measure has what it claims to be the entire summary, available here.

Some of the assumed adverse health effects that are being linked to BPA exposure include increased instances of prostate and breast cancer, diabetes, and numerous reproductive system defects. A Harvard study last month found clear evidence that containers made with BPA, like hard plastic sports bottles, leach BPA into people's bodies. Oops. Hard science. That's tough to shake.

Congress will soon consider the Ban Poisonous Additives Act, sponsored by Representative Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Senator Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal.), which would ban the chemical in all food containers, including baby bottles, reusable sport bottles, and canned goods. And as I mentioned Free Market Retailers like Target and Babies R Us have already pulled BPA products from their shelves and replaced them with similarly priced BPA-free alternatives, and at least three canned food producers use BPA-free linings in their cans, demonstrating that alternatives already exist at similar prices. (Target and BRU either don't want to lose market share to glass bottles, or don't want to be part of the obvious class action lawsuit that will likely be on the horizon?)

For more - Strategy Being Devised to Protect Use of BPA

Now if you're interested in solutions for this one - babies - try breastfeeding: most natural and cheap option out there.

Water bottles - they invented something called a drinking fountain. Failing that, my old Boy Scout canteen still works. Has a metallic taste, but I guess I'd rather take a little aluminium over BPH?