Suspect plastic in baby products
An FDA hearing today takes up a controversial plastic hardener that's used in everything from baby bottles to food packaging. Canada plans to ban it from baby bottles. Sarah Gardner reports.
Formula being fed to a baby. (iStockPhoto.com)
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Scott Jagow: The Food and Drug Administration holds a hearing today on a controversial plastic hardener. It's known as BPA, and it's everywhere from baby bottles to food packaging. But a recent study says BPA could alter brain development and be a cancer risk. Sarah Gardner reports.
Sarah Gardner: Canada plans to ban the chemical from baby bottles. And many retailers, including Wal-mart, are switching to non-BPA bottles. But industry officials insist BPA products are safe. Steven Hentges is with the American Chemistry Council.
Steven Hentges: The implications really are for consumers in terms of products that would be removed from the Marketplace, and they might be replaced by products that are inferior in terms of their performance.
The FDA currently says there's not enough evidence to justify banning BPA, but it will consider new research. Anila Jacob at Environmental Working Group says so far, the FDA has depended on industry-funded studies.
Anila Jacob: However they ignored scores of animal studies from independent scientists that did find cause for concern with this chemical.
Democratic Sen. Chuck Shumer is sponsoring a bill banning BPA in children's products. He argues the government should err on the side of caution.
I'm Sarah Gardner for Marketplace.
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From santa fe, NM, 09/16/2008
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