Wednesday, August 26, 2009

BPA Free for You and Me




Amy Smart and Dr.Greene were two of the high profile supporters at a rally today supporting Senator Fran Pavley's SB 797, which would rid California of the chemical BPA in baby bottles.

I was really glad to drive out to Sacramento to support this bill. It's ridiculous that we have to work so hard to get *unnecessary* chemicals out of our kids' products. Why are they there in the first place? There's really no better reason than it's a Giant Moneymaker for the chemicals industry. BPA isn't just in bottles, but lines almost every can of food (adult food) and infant formula. It is everywhere.

Yes, you can buy premium bottles that are BPA free. You can find these bottles at Target, Whole Foods, Wal-Mart and Babies R Us. But not at dollar stores and not in many less-affluent neighborhoods, where Target is considered too pricey.

It's not right that people who can't afford the chemical-free products are forced to swallow the chemicals that industry sells-- simply because it boosts their bottom line. As the wise Gretchen Lee Salter of Breast Cancer Fund says, it's expensive to be poor.

What does BPA do, anyway? It's an epoxy resin lining cans, supposedly keeping food preserved better, and it's a key in polycarbonate-- all those pretty clear Nalgene water bottles. But it's also a HUGE endocrine disrupter, mimicking estrogen and causing hormone-like side effects. It is everywhere. And it's UNNEEDED. There are plenty of other materials out there right now. The only reason BPA is one of them is because it's produced in such huge quantities and makes so much money for industry that they don't want to see it banned.

It's like high fructose corn syrup. There's no reason for it to be in your tomato sauce or any other food, except that we make a gazillion tons of it yearly, and corn syrup sellers need to sell it, so they put it in everything. Hello, diabetes epidemic.

Let's get rid of BPA. Let's tell industry to quit poisoning us to make a profit. I went to Sacramento today. If you're in CA, can you call Sacramento and tell your legislator you support SB 797, Fran Pavley's BPA bill? (916) 322-9900 is the Capitol Switchboard. Thanks!!