In its 2011 session, the Oregon Legislature failed to approve a limited ban on Bisphenol A, better known as BPA. This industrial chemical is widely used to harden plastic containers, and has been shown to leach into food and liquids.
Now Multnomah County Chairman Jeff Cogen is wading in where legislators failed to go, and Cogen is right to lead the way. The ban he's proposing would make it illegal countywide to sell baby bottles, reusable water bottles and children's spill-proof cups containing BPA.It's unusual for the county to venture into this territory, but it has legal authority to do so under the auspices of the Multnomah County Health Department. And there's good reason not to take a "wait and see" approach to BPA.
Increasingly, manufacturers and large retailers are wising up. Many baby bottles, sippy cups and water bottles on the market no longer contain the chemical. Sellers may or may not be worried about the hazards of BPA, but they are worried about market forces. They know many consumers will no longer buy products that contain the chemical.
But a ban would address a continuing environmental disparity. Those most at risk now of acquiring BPA-laden baby bottles, reusable water bottles and cups are low-income children and adults, Cogen argues. The dollar stores, corner markets and other places more often frequented by low-income families are more likely to still have such products on their shelves.
A documented 93 percent of us already have some level of BPA in our systems. Bisphenol A is used in the manufacture of everything from food and beverage can liners to cash register receipts, flame retardants and dental sealants.
According to the National Resources Defense Council, BPA residues have been detected in "nearly every fluid measured including urine, breast milk, cord blood and follicular fluid" found in the ovaries. In 2010, the National Toxicology Program expressed "some concern" that BPA exposure in fetuses, infants and children may increase the risk of harm to the developing brain.
Studies have linked BPA exposure to endocrine disruption. BPA mimics estrogen. With a little heat or the zapping of a microwave, the chemical has the potential to trigger a wide range of problems. A study published this week in the journal Pediatrics links high levels of exposure before birth in girls to a greater likelihood of exhibiting depression, anxiety and hyperactivity by age 3. The National Toxicology Program has said, "The possibility that Bisphenol A may alter human development cannot be dismissed."
That may not be as definitive a warning as some were hoping for, but taking a cautious approach to this chemical wherever it can be dialed back is smart, particularly where industrial substitutes exist. And they do for baby bottles, sippy cups and reusable water bottles.
Tragically, in our history, hazardous chemicals have often been treated as if they should be considered innocuous until proven guilty. That is a foolish standard to impose. It has kept dangerous chemicals in circulation long after evidence pointed to their harmful effects.
Convicting a chemical of causing grave health consequences beyond the shadow of a doubt is unreasonable. Bisphenol A has raised enough red flags to warrant policies that limit human exposure. By taking action, the county will exert pressure on the state to act -- and the state should.
No comments:
Post a Comment