01/12/09: Chemical Controversy: Baby Bottle Ban Call

The National Childbirth Trust in UK says there is “compelling” evidence linking Bisphenol A (often abbreviated to BPA) to breast cancer and other conditions.

Campaigners say there is evidence young children are at risk from the chemical

The chemical is widely used in plastics and is commonly found in food and drink containers.

Some experts believe young children may be particularly vulnerable.

Baby bottle manufacturers in the US removed BPA from their products in March due to consumer pressure and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is investigating.

Canada has also banned products containing the chemical.

Scientists have been divided on whether BPA is linked to health problems – several lab studies have shown problems in mice.

The Food Standards Agency said it had no plans to act.

A spokesman said: “The Food Standards Agency, working closely with the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), and the European Commission have looked into the potential risks from BPA and found that exposure of UK consumers to BPA from all sources, including food contact materials, was well below levels considered harmful.”

We are not aware of the decision of the Singapore authority on this issue.

Related article:

03/11/09: Study finds BPA in some products