Natural Health

The Washington State House today passed a bill that would ban BPA from baby bottles, sports bottles, and eating utensils such as sippy cups used by children under 3 years of age.

This bill was passed overwhelmingly and is expected to sail through the Senate and be signed by the Governor. Only one Representative voted against passage. (I’d sure hate to be that person!)

The only drawback is that like all other protective laws, it will take a long time to go into effect.

The ban on BPA in babies’ and childrens’ products goes into effect in July 2011, while the ban on BPA in sports bottles doesn’t take effect until July 2012.

Banning BPA is a huge step in protecting our youth.

We’ve written before about how the chemicals in cosmetics can mimic estrogen and completely disrupt a child’s system – making them more prone to cancer, reproductive problems, miscarriage, obesity, and hyperactivity. BPA also mimics strong sex hormones and can disrupt a child’s system from infancy.

Although I’m always in favor of less government interference, I see this ban a good sign. Since the FDA refuses to protect consumers from dangerous products, the States are taking action to protect citizens from those who care more for profits than for offering safe products.

Washington is the 5th to ban BPA in children’s products and the second to impose the ban on sports bottles. Read the whole story from the Washington Toxics Coalition.

Remember, the ban doesn’t take effect for more than a year. Parents still need to check labels and markings and avoid plastics that contain BPA. To be safe, why not go back to glass baby bottles? They worked for a long, long time before people started using plastic.