Sunday, August 10, 2008

Is the Plastic Ono Band Considered Harmful to Babies?

We shall never really know the answer to that but who knows how often John and Yoko fed Sean with plastic bottles. The Canadian government is considering banning them and Wal Mart may not carry them any more. Wal Mart! That bastion of unscrupulous business practices is considering taking a popular item that contains Bisphenol A (BPA) off its shelves. Ah, but what is this brouhaha all about?

Yesterday, a mailer showed up in many California homes that said, "Don't Let Sacramento Politicians Remove Products From Your Grocery Bag". The mailer was a four-page flier touting the benefits of BPA to us, the consumers, and how banning BPA would result in fewer options for the consumer. The kicker in the mailer is the statement is that "no other state in the country bans BPA." To put words in the mouth of Kramer's attorney, Jackie Chiles, this mailer is, "deleterious, devious, despicable!"

The Center for Science in Public Interest, http://www.cspinet.org/nah/bpa.html, has this quote from the National Toxicology Program in its page:

Here are NTP's conclusions:

The NTP concurs with the conclusion of the CERHR Expert Panel on Bisphenol A that there is some concern for neural and behavioral effects in fetuses, infants, and children at current human exposures. The NTP also has some concern for bisphenol A exposure in these populations based on effects in the prostate gland, mammary gland, and an earlier age for puberty in females.

California has always been one of the trendsetting states in matter of consumer rights and legislation and it would be reassuring if the folks in Sacremento used the scientific data to consider banning products, such as BPA, that are deemed harmful to babies, of all people. And not to worry, BPA Lobby, if BPA is indeed proven to be harmful, we'll find alternative ways to keep our foods safe and fresh. So, don't invite the wrath of Jackie Chiles.