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Written by Barbara Hirsch, Santa Barbara Independent
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Saturday, 28 June 2008 |
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One by One, They Are Losing Their Innocence
 A good thing about the price of oil being up: Plastics will become less economically desirable. Because convenient as they are, they are certainly losing their innocence, one by one.
Following Canada's lead, California will most likely be the first state in the nation to pass a law banning Bisphenol-A (BPA) from use in toys or childcare products, including baby bottles. It is found in hard polycarbonate (#7) plastics. Last year the state similarly banned toys that are made with soft plastics (#3) that contain phthalates.
At least our children will ingest less of these chemicals found to be already present in most Americans' bloodstreams and which have been shown to be possible players in many and varied health problems, including hyperactivity, cancer, and hormonal/reproductive anomalies. It is thought that there is a greater danger for children because the amounts ingested are in a higher proportion to body weight, and also because early exposure increases the risk of health problems later in life.
As a reaction to the public's worries about BPA, the basis of polycarbonate plastic--which is found in reusable water bottles and a resin that lines food cans--some companies (e.g. Nalgene) have already removed this chemical from their products. Some Tupperware products and the 5 gallon water bottles in which we get water delivered are also made of polycarbonate, previously believed to be very stable and safe.
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