Bottle feeding. Credit: eyeliam/ flickr

By Rich Bowden:

Australian Governments on all levels have come under increasing pressure to ban plastic baby bottles made with the controversial Bisphenol A (BPA) after research revealed the chemical’s toxicity was present even in small doses.

Adding to the concerns over its uses, a UK team has found evidence the chemical is linked to breast cancer and imbalances in sex hormones and, as BPA leaches when heated, is considered very dangerous to babies. The debate has seen the federal Government accused of buck passing with the Federal Health Minister Nicola Roxon saying it was the duty of the Therapeutic Goods Administration to declare the product unsafe. They in turn considered it the premise of the Health Department to decide if the chemical should be withdrawn.

State Governments have also come under fire for their alleged inactivity with NSW Greens MP John Kaye calling for an immediate ban on BPA by NSW Food Minister Steve Whan.

“New British medical evidence strengthens the case against using BPA as a coating on the inside of bottles, yet Australian agencies are passing the buck,” said Mr Kaye in a news release. “The Keneally government should stop NSW becoming a dumping ground for baby products elsewhere in the world.”

He called on the minister to “show leadership” on the issue.

“Minister Whan should show leadership at the Food Ministerial Council and demand an immediate ban, subject to a more detailed analysis of the international evidence. While the nation’s politicians fiddle, babies are being needlessly exposed to a chemical that is both cancer causing and interrupts development.”

“As the evidence mounts against BPA, it is time for rapid action to protect the health of the youngest Australians,” Dr Kaye said.

The chemical has already been the subject of consumer boycotts and is banned in Canada, France and is being reviewed in the United States. The New Zealand Herald reports that consumers began refusing to buy BPA products as  results from independent studies showed the danger of the chemical.

When scientists started publishing their initial studies, Canadian consumers reacted. They didn’t want to wait another generation to find out if the reigning view deeming BPA safe will hold true.

Their press was on it. Consumers started to avoid buying BPA products. Canada became the first country in the world to ban BPA in baby bottles.

The United States noticed next. They, like the European Union, had ruled BPA was safe, until they stubbed their toe on one small problem.

Someone noticed that 100 per cent of industry-funded studies found no harm from BPA, but curiously, about 90 per cent of independent studies did find adverse health effects. Maybe we’d better revisit this one, the Americans concluded. That’s where they are now. A decision is due soon.

Tags: baby bottles, bisphenol A, BPA, BPA ban, john kaye, nicola roxon