“The Food and Drug Administration said Friday that the chemical bisphenol A might not be safe for young children, partly reversing a stance that the chemical was safe at levels currently found in food containers.”- WSJ. According to the article and Joshua Sharftein, the FDA’s principal deputy commissioner, “Liquid formula generally has small, detectible levels of BPA” and many plastic bottles, including baby bottles and sippy cups, are made with BPA…so should you be worried? Yes. What exactly is BPA and why is it harmful? Here is the 411 on this nasty chemical…

DEFINITION AND USE- BPA, bisphenol A, is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. It is primarily used to make plastics, most commonly the polycarbonate plastic, which is clear and nearly shatter-proof and is used to make several products including baby and water bottles. Also, epoxy resins containing bisphenol A are used as coatings on the inside of almost all food and beverage cans. The chemical has been in use since the 1930’s, but has recently been getting a lot of attention for it’s harmful effects on the human body.

HARMFUL EFFECTS- “researchers say that they have found the mechanism by which BPA, a synthetic hormone with estrogen-like properties, might affect later fertility of babies whose mothers were exposed to the chemical…Some studies have linked it to cancer, diabetes, heart disease and developmental problems in children. Health advocates say exposure to the chemical could present a particular problem to developing fetuses.”-Forbes.com
Basically the chemical acts as estrogen and can mimic the body’s own hormones, causing brain, behavior and prostate issues, especially in fetuses and infants, who do not have a strong immune system to break down the chemical. Among the many issues it can cause neurologically is the effect on the nervous system. Several studies have shown that exposure to low doses during development can cause persistent effects on the brain function, structure and behavior. Further studies showed negative effects on the prostate, reproductive development and function, thyroid function, an increase in breast cancer risk, and even a link to hyperactivity and attention deficit.

Although the FDA commissioner, Margaret Hamburg, stated this past friday “that the FDA agrees with the National Toxicology Program that BPA is of ’some concern’ for children and infants”- WSJ.com, she still believes more needs to be known before they take steps to ban or reduce the amount of the chemical in consumer products. The Health and Human Services department will be investing $30 million in studies around the health effects of BPA on young children going forward, but in the meantime here are some steps to avoid introducing this chemical to you, your fetus or your child.

1. Chose only BPA free bottles and sippy cups! Our favorites are Green to Grow and Wee go bottles and Think baby sippy cups and food storage- which are coming soon to Bloumebaby.com!
2. Avoid food in cans, especially if you are pregnant! This includes soda, fruit, chili, tuna (which should be kept to a minimum anyways to avoid high levels of mercury), children’s pasta, canned veggies and soups. Fresh fruits are much more tasty anyways!
3. Purchase powdered formula over liquid formula. “Abbott Laboratories, which makes Similac-brand formula, said 91% of its infant formula product line is BPA-free” but that leaves 9% with BPA. If you do need to stick to liquid formula for some reason, choose one that is in a glass jar or BPA free container.
4. Use water filtration systems instead of bottled water. Most bottles, including the large water jugs from Arrowhead etc most likely contain BPA.
5. Know your plastics…”Polycarbonate plastic contains bisphenol A and is a number 7 bottle. Containers with the recycling numbers 3 can contain lead, phthalates and can create dioxin, a human carcinogen. Number 6 is polystyrene and doesn’t break down. Staying away from 3, 6, and 7 is a good idea.”- The Green Blog I say just ditch the plastic all together if you can…

I found this very scary article on “Campaign for Safe Cosmetics” homepage… please read! The bottom line…go natural! Try erbaviva products (I use them on my little man and they are super gentle and smell clean and delicious!) www.erbaviva.com .

No More Toxic Tub

Getting Contaminants Out of Children’s Bath & Personal Care Products
by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics

Despite marketing claims like “gentle” and “pure,” dozens of top-selling children’s bath products are contaminated with the cancer-causing chemicals formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane, according to the March 2009 Campaign for Safe Cosmetics report, “No More Toxic Tub.”

This study is the first to document the widespread presence of both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane in bath products for children, including baby shampoos, bubble baths and baby lotions. Many products tested contained both chemicals.

What We Found

The Campaign for Safe Cosmetics commissioned an independent laboratory to test 48 products for 1,4-dioxane; 28 of those products were also tested for formaldehyde. The lab found that:

17 out of 28 products tested – 61 percent – contained both formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane.
23 out of 28 products – 82 percent – contained formaldehyde at levels ranging from 54 to 610 parts per million (ppm).
32 out of 48 products – 67 percent – contained 1,4-dioxane at levels ranging from 0.27 to 35 ppm.

Health Concerns

While a single product might not be cause for concern, the reality is that babies may be exposed to several products at bath time, several times a week, in addition to other chemical exposures in the home and environment. Those small exposures add up and may contribute to later-life disease.

Formaldehyde and 1,4-dioxane are known carcinogens; formaldehyde can also trigger skin rashes in some children. Unlike many other countries, the U.S. government does not limit formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane, or most other hazardous substances in personal care products.

Where They Come From

The chemicals were not disclosed on product labels because they’re contaminants, not ingredients, and therefore are exempt from labeling laws.

Formaldehyde contaminates personal care products when common preservatives release formaldehyde over time in the container. Common ingredients likely to contaminate products with formaldehyde include quaternium-15, DMDM hydantoin, imidazolidinyl urea and diazolidinyl urea.

1,4-dioxane is a byproduct of a chemical processing technique called ethoxylation, in which cosmetic ingredients are processed with ethylene oxide. Manufacturers can easily remove the toxic byproduct, but are not required by law to do so. Common ingredients likely to be contaminated with 1,4-dioxane include PEG-100 stearate, sodium laureth sulfate, polyethylene and ceteareth-20.

What You Can Do

Contrary to industry statements, there are no regulatory standards that limit formaldehyde, 1,4-dioxane or most other toxic chemicals in personal care products sold in the United States. There are signs the U.S. is gearing to catch up, but for now it’s up to consumers to consider carefully before they buy. Here’s some suggestions for safeguarding your family’s health:

Simplify: Select products with fewer ingredients and no synthetic fragrance or dyes, and use fewer products overall.
Choose safety: Search EWG’s cosmetic safety database, Skin Deep, to learn more about the products you use and find safer alternatives. Also check out EWG’s Safety Guide to Children’s Personal Care Products.
Read labels: Select products for baby and yourself that don’t contain the ingredients listed above, which are commonly contaminated with formaldehyde or 1,4-dioxane.
Tell manufacturers that safety is important to you: Use our Web site to write to Johnson & Johnson about their product, Johnson’s Baby Shampoo.
Take action! Can’t memorize these lists? Nobody can. If harmful contaminants and ingredients weren’t allowed in products, you wouldn’t have to. Tell Congress you want safe cosmetics for babies, adults and everyone in between.
Spread the word: Send an e-card letting friends and family know about this report.

Status Update

Led by the Campaign for Safe Cosmetics, 44 organizations representing 1.7 million moms, nurses, doctors and other people concerned about our environment and our health signed on to a May letter to J&J, in which we asked the company to make safe products and meet with us. Read the letter and list of signers.

On April 29, 2009, Sen. Kirsten Gillibrand (D-N.Y.) introduced the Safe Baby Products Act, which directs the Food and Drug Administration to investigate and regulate hazardous contaminants in personal care products marketed to or used by children. She introduced the bill in response to the “Toxic Tub” report.

Though the U.S. FDA has yet to respond to our test results, retailers and governments in Asia have taken action. Immediately following our report release, a major supermarket in China pulled Johnson & Johnson products from the shelves amid concerns that the products are contaminated with carcinogens. Both the Vietnamese Drug Administration and the Chinese government responded by testing products immediately.

Though China later declared J&J products safe, it tested products made in China, not those for the U.S. market. Manufacturers can use different ingredients for different markets, which may be the case here. Because we don’t have the full report from China, we have no way of knowing which products the Chinese government tested or what they found.

Here in the United States, our tests found two carcinogenic contaminants in Johnson’s Baby Shampoo. Other companies are making products without 1,4-dioxane or formaldehyde, and we ask that J&J remove these unnecessary toxins, too.