NY: Suffolk County Bans BPA

In the first law of its kind in the States, the Suffolk County Legislature voted Tuesday to ban polycarbonate baby bottles. BPA would have to be removed from sippys and bottles intended for children under 3, or those products would have to be removed from store shelves.

Says bill sponsor Legis. Steve Stern,

There are plenty of viable, cost-effective and safe alternatives.

The county now says they’re evaluating the impact of the law pending an upcoming public hearing.

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But the most easily impacted by BPA, the chil’ens, aren’t likely to be speaking up. And considering many of the health effects are long-term, let’s hope that the wealth of scientific studies that show the evils of BPA will prevail.

Bisphenol-A is an endocrine disruptor that has been linked to lower sperm count, early onset of puberty, breast cancer, and obesity. 95 percent of American adults have detectable levels of BPA.

This is a tough one.  BPA-laden products are everywhere.  Pretty much every kid cup you pick up at a pharmacy contains the stuff.  We’re all smart shoppers and go BPA-free, but not everyone is.

So will the store shelves in Suffolk County be bare? Or will manufacturers get with the program and make safe feeding gear for our critters?

Source: Newsday

Image: pfly on Flickr under a Creative Commons License.

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