Inside Prevention

Industry influence exposed--finally

A front-page article in the Washington Post yesterday brought to light an alarming revelation: the FDA has relied on just two scientific studies, both funded by a chemical industry trade group, in declaring bisphenol A safe. The agency has ignored the more than 100 peer-reviewed, journal-published articles saying just the opposite: not only is BPA not conclusively safe, it is linked to increased rates of breast and prostate cancer, among other alarming diseases.

It's vindicating to see this in print, but it's been too long in coming. We've known that the FDA relied on industry studies for BPA safety data, as it does for other industries, including cosmetics. But far too many people for too long have blindly followed the FDA and industry party line on BPA, allowing additional years of unnecessary exposure to this dangerous chemical.

I'm not talking simply about individuals buying Nalgene water bottles or Gerber baby bottles; I'm talking about the opinion-makers in the media, regulators unwilling to take the first plunge and companies trying to maintain their brand images.

Rather than inspiring guilt and shopper's paralysis among parents, weekend athletes or fans of canned pasta, we're working to make sure government regulators do their jobs of protecting us all from toxic chemicals. The burden of proof of harm shouldn't be foisted on citizens, nor should advocates and scientists have to point out to the FDA that it's not looking at all the available evidence.

Watershed week for BPA activists

Until last week, no government agency in the world had been willing to say that an estrogenic chemical called bisphenol A might be dangerous. That was despite the growing body of peer-reviewed science indicating that BPA is a potential risk factor for breast cancer, prostate cancer, behavioral changes, insulin resistance, early puberty, miscarriage and more.

It was Canada that finally said enough is enough, and on Friday--after days of speculation--Health Canada announced that it would conduct a risk assessment of BPA. For the next two months, Canada will consider a ban on the production and sale of baby bottles and cans of infant formula intended for very young children.

We could hardly keep up with what followed.

Shortly after word got out that Canada would be announcing an inquiry into BPA's safety, the U.S. National Toxicology Program announced that it had determined BPA to be cause for concern. It is the first U.S federal agency to make such a determination; by contrast, FDA has repeatedly said that BPA is harmless.

In the days since, Wal-Mart announced that it will stop selling baby bottles that contain BPA in its U.S. stores; Nalgene has said it will stop using the BPA-containing plastic in the water bottles the company is best known for; today Toys 'R' Us said that it plans to stop selling baby bottles and other baby feeding products that contain BPA.

Finally, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) said in an interview late last week that he plans to introduce a bill banning the chemical and funding a public health campaign about its dangers to infants.

Bisphenol A (BPA) was originally developed as a synthetic estrogen, and was later found useful in the manufacture of hard polycarbonate plastics (labeled #7 Other). BPA is used in baby bottles, 5-gallon refillable water bottles, some Nalgene-brand sports water bottles, CDs, liners on food and beverage cans, dental sealants and more.

Because it's in so many products, a whole lot of it is produced--to the tune of 2 billion pounds a year in the United States and 6 billion pounds a year globally. Not coincidentally, it's found in about 93 percent of Americans over age 6.

The chemical industry likely won't go down without a fight for BPA, but there's an important message in all these company announcements: they're getting rid of this chemical because of customer concerns. That means YOU have a voice and a place at this table, that YOU play a role in deciding to use safe products.

I hope you'll stay tuned and see how this plays out, and lend your voice when needed. We'll be following this story, as we have since we became aware of the BPA link to breast cancer several years ago. Check back here, or sign up for our e-mail alerts.

Washington State Passes Children's Safe Products Act

With a signature by Governor Christine Gregoire, Washington State has set a national standard for addressing children’s health by banning toxic chemicals from both children’s toys and personal care products.

Gov. Gregoire has signed into law the Children’s Safe Products Act, establishing the nation’s strongest standard for three dangerous chemicals – lead, cadmium, and phthalates – in toys and other products marketed to children.  It also requires manufacturers to report whether their products contain other chemicals harmful to children’s health. 

Washington State follows on the heels of the October passage of California’s Toxic Toys bill, the first in the nation to protect children by banning six types of phthalates from children’s toys.  Both states responded to the increasing public demand by parents and health advocates to ensure our children’s safety, and as a result, Congress and a dozen states are now taking action.
    
Through our work with Washington’s Toxic-Free Legacy Coalition, the Breast Cancer Fund actively supported the efforts to pass this critical legislation.  Congratulations to all of our colleagues a nd partner organizations for their fantastic work to raise awareness around this issue!