For almost 2 years now I have written on this blog about the dangers of BPA from polycarbonate plastic leaching into our food and drink. I have written several posts that highlight BPA free sippys, cups, teethers, and eating utensils. Many other bloggers have done the same and as a group… MOMS have altered public perception and dealt a big blow to an industry that did not apparently care one iota about the adverse health effects of their products.
In response there have been several baby bottle manufacturers that have promised they will no longer us BPA. There are also several US cities and states that have banned BPA in children’s products or plan to do so soon. It seems only logical that the next on the guillotine would be cans and food containers that use BPA in their liners. Connecticut is poised to do just that… ban BPA in all food containers.
But while moms all over the country can pat themselves on the back for influencing legislation to make our children safer they also need to be aware that the BPA industry is going to tussle.
A reporter at The Washington Post recently got internal notes from a private meeting held by companies who stand to lose a lot money if BPA bans get passed… aka food and drink companies. According to the reporter they huddled together for hours “trying to figure out how to tamp down public concerns over the chemical bisphenol A, or BPA”.
To me that means they are trying to figure out a way to fool us into thinking BPA is safe OR fool us into thinking it is a necessary evil that me must accept. Among the topics discussed was how they can use ” fear tactics as ways to dissuade people from choosing BPA-free packaging,” the notes said.
They also discussed spending $500,000 to craft a campaign that would help their cause and use “a ‘holy grail’ spokesperson, a ‘pregnant young mother who would be willing to speak around the country about the benefits of BPA,’ “. Of course this pretty commonplace for all companies peddling crappy products.
Some people will always be smarter than that so they have to break out the big guns:
Those in attendance said the mainstream media are ignoring their side of the controversy, and attendees talked about how the group is focusing on “legislative battles and befriending people that are able to manipulate the legislative process,” the document said.
Ugh. Instead of trying to come up with safe ways to serve food they would rather spend money on pulling the wool over our eyes or using the political system give us no choice in the matter.
Moms everywhere need to be prepared for a battle over BPA. We need to continue to let our legislators know that human safety comes BEFORE profit.
Thanks, Tiffany! This information is so important to share with readers, especially the point that BPA is not just in baby bottles and cups, but also infant formula and regular canned food linings. When it comes to industry, the more progress we make, the harder the fight gets! Along with others, I am working to ban BPA in NY and am familiar with many of the fights in other states. Calling or writing legislators goes a long way toward making this work a reality. Please, everyone, take a minute to make a call. It works!
Hi Tiffany,
Thanks for the warning about a potential future pro-BPA campaign. I’m a chemist and in a publication from the American Chemical Society scientists have been having this same argument: a contingent who promote BPA vs. a contingent who work for its regulation/ban. I am absolutely, 100%, pro-ban. It is an unnecessary chemical and the results of an overwhelming number of rigorous studies show both the harmful effects of BPA and the ubiquitous exposure of our populations, and especially children, to BPA. If industry groups fail to recognize that this legitimate concern needs to be addressed I believe that they will lose market share. People are sick (literally and figuratively) of chemical contamination in their food, surroundings and possessions. However, I also think that those of us who are against BPA should not sit idly by while an ad campaign is run for something that we believe to be so harmful. So thank you for spreading the word.
I have a concern, however, with your comparing a pro-BPA campaign to the pro-vaccine campaign. Unlike BPA, there is an abundance of scientific evidence that vaccines are safe and effective. To be sure, debate on this issue is a positive thing, anytime we try to “improve” nature we need to be continuously on the look-out for unintended consequences. So I understand your concerns, and I believe there is a lot we can do to make these vaccines safer, but I think that comparing BPA and vaccines is inaccurate.
Again, thank you for spreading the word about the pro-BPA campaing – may that beastly chemical go away and never come back.
Thx Kristin,
I wasn;t so much comapring BPA to vaccines as I was comparing the “spokemodel” tactic. The vaccine industry recently recruited a popular actress mommy to sing the praises of vaccines to offset damage from public opinion. The BPA indisutry appears to want to do the same.
Thanks for this update, Tiffany! I really enjoyed your post about BPA sippy cups as well.
Great post, Tiffany. We cross-promoted your blog entry today. Thanks for spreading awareness.
Wow. I really appreciate this information and really want to learn more. BPA is in all canned food linings? Where else is it in our foods? I rarely buy canned foods but have bought some organic ones. Are there any companies that do not have BPA in their cans? Can your refer me to where I can find more info?
Finally, is there any kind of organization that is actively having people sign a petition or has a web-site set up to write letters to our representatives?
Thanks again for this important information.
Just remember we vote with our dollars. If we can quit purchasing these products they will stop making them. The only brand I know of is Eden Organic that is BPA free. You can look at their website yourself. Just type BPA in the search. http://www.edenfoods.com/
Tiffany, you were one of what I call “the BPA pioneers”…sounding the alarm on this long ago. The sad thing is that there are many women who don’t know anything about the controversy surrounding BPA…and an “image campaign” like this one would just prey upon them further.
If the industry is correct in maintaining that BPA is safest for us, they should be able to back that claim up with fact-based science, not fear mongering!
Great post Tiffany! You really have been sounding the alarm on BPA, and so many other things, for so long now! Yours is one of the first blogs I started reading and I know I can always find good information on green parenting. We all need to start sounding the alarm now, wherever we have a voice.