Phthalates & Bisphenol A

I noticed the Indianapolis station, WISH-TV, doing a segment on Bisphenol A. On their website - they also have a segment on Phthalates.

It's nice to see the issue getting into the mainstream consciousness. They seemed to be supporting the "Kids Safety Chemical Act" which is nice. It seems peculiar that people have to focus on the safety of children instead of everyone - but whatever (see next article on infants and exposure... my idea is that while "yes" it is worse for infants - it seems odd that some people can't be concerned unless there are infants at stake - as if adults are able to avoid all exposures by virtue of being an adult. It seems pretty clear that Phthalates & Bisphenol A are so pervasive that without government intervention nothing willl be done to lessen environmental levels. Some may avoid more than others - but it's still out there in far too many things) ...

Democratic Congressman Henry Waxman of California plans to reintroduce the Kids Safety Chemical Act, which died in the last Congress.

"This law would try to recognize that our children are more vulnerable to chemicals that can cause harm, toxic chemicals," said Waxman.

Other clips from the articles:

Part 1: Phthalates Are Harmful To Our Health, But What Are They?

Nearly every American is exposed to these chemicals. It is especially troubling for millions of women of child-bearing age and their children. Phthalates are everywhere and they are harmful to our health. So why have most of us never heard of them?

Phthalates are a group of chemicals that make plastics flexible, lotions and lipsticks creamy and dollies' skin feel soft and real.

"It's scary, really scary. Her playroom's full of them, I'm sure," said mother Annie Fisher.

One kind of phthalate is known to cause cancer, kidney and liver damage and reproductive problems. Others interfere with hormones and can cause obesity, diabetes, allergies and asthma.

But it seems impossible to avoid phthalates. They are in hairspray, shampoo and nail polish. They are in our homes and can leach out from vinyl floors, PVC pipes, even shower curtains and clear plastic wrap when used in the microwave and from plastic water bottles left in a hot car....

The U.S. Consumer Product Safety Commission asked companies, including Mattel and Playskool, to voluntarily remove phthalates from teethers, bath toys and squeeze toys. But even one year later, toy companies chose not to comply, removing phthalates only from teethers.

"Sounds like somebody needs to lobby Congress," Fisher said...

Part 2: Bisphenol A is in Many Canned Foods, But What Is It?

Brand new studies find a harmful chemical in some of your favorite canned foods and in clear plastic baby bottles. Nearly every American is exposed to bisphenol A also called BPA. The hidden hazard leaches from the plastic lining of metal food and drink cans and from plastic baby bottles into the food and the infant formula.

An environmental health watchdog says many canned foods contain BPA, but it is not listed as an ingredient. That is particularly troubling when the FDA estimates that canned foods comprise 17 percent of our diet. And families with young children and more on the way, rely on the convenience of canned food...

BPA is linked to breast and prostate cancer, to infertility and recurrent miscarriages and a wide range of birth defects. But while most chemicals are considered harmful at high doses, studies show that BPA is toxic at low doses...

The Environmental Working Group tested nearly 100 cans of food including canned fruits and vegetables, tuna and even infant formula and found BPA in more than half the cans. Of all foods tested, chicken soup, ravioli and infant formula had the highest BPA levels.

Just one to three servings of foods with these concentrations expose a woman or child to BPA levels that harmed lab animals. In some cases a single serving exposed a woman or infant to BPA levels more than 200 times what the government says is safe...