Aquino asked to issue executive ban vs BPA

MANILA, Philippines - Environmental groups urged President Aquino to issue an executive ban against the use of the chemical bisphenol A or BPA in manufacturing infant bottles.                                                                                                                              

Last week, the European Commission banned the use of polycarbonate plastic infant bottles in its 27 member countries effective March 2011.

“We applaud EU’s region-wide ban on BPA-laced baby bottles and call upon the Aquino government to do the same in the greater interest of safeguarding our kids’ health,” said Aileen Lucero of EcoWaste Coalition.                                         

BPA, a chemical used in polycarbonate baby bottles and in epoxy resins for canned food and beverages, has been linked to reproductive and developmental problems, including disruption of the body’s hormonal system.

Researchers had confirmed that BPA migrates from plastic containers such as feeding bottles into the contents.

Aside from the EU, Canada and some US states like Connecticut and Minnesota had banned the use of BPA in food and drink containers for children below three years.

In line with the precautionary principle, the EcoWaste Coalition and Save Babies Coalition also urged the government to consider imposing a total ban on BPA in all food packaging.

“May the ban on BPA be P-Noy’s early Christmas gift to our babies who are most susceptible to toxic harm,” said Ines Fernandez of Save Babies.              

The EU-based Health and Environmental Alliance earlier said the ban should be for “all food packaging for infants under three years old – and it should be quickly extended to all food packaging because if babies during pregnancy are to be protected, consumption by women of child-bearing age should be avoided.”

While the ban on BPA is not yet in place, the groups advised consumers to take precaution to reduce exposure to BPA by avoiding polycarbonate plastic containers, usually marked “PC” or the number “7” and opting for safer alternatives such as glass, ceramics or stainless steel.