Baby's Toxic Bottle: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Baby Bottles

2008-02-07

Executive Summary

Bisphenol A, a hormone-disrupting chemical that is the building block of polycarbonate plastic, has been found to leach out of six major brands of popular baby bottles sold in the United States and Canada. Baby’s Toxic Bottle: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Brands of Baby Bottles, commissioned by a coalition of U.S. and Canadian environmental health organizations, tested plastic baby bottles in the U.S. and Canada, including products made by Avent, Disney/ The First Years, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, Gerber, and Playtex, for leaching of bisphenol A. The U.S. bottles were purchased in nine states at major retailers: Babies”R”Us, CVS, Target, Toys”R”Us, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart. Tests found these popular bottle brands leach levels of bisphenol A (5-8 parts per billion) when heated. Laboratory experiments with animals show that exposure to this level of bisphenol A causes a range of adverse effects.1

Bisphenol A, first synthesized in 1895, was discovered in 1936 to be a synthetic estrogen. The chemical is now utilized in hard, polycarbonate plastics, as well as the epoxy resins used in the linings of some food and beverage containers, dental sealants and numerous other consumer products. Bisphenol A is a developmental, neural, and reproductive toxicant that mimics estrogen and can interfere with healthy growth and body function. Animal studies demonstrate that the chemical causes damage to reproductive, neurological and immune systems during critical stages of development, such as infancy and in the womb. The levels sufficient to cause harm in animals are beneath the average levels reported in people living throughout the developed world2. Many scientists now suggest similar damage may be occurring in the human population.

The objectives of this report are to a) determine whether bisphenol A leaches at measurable levels from baby bottles widely available in the United States and Canada; b) add to the growing body of knowledge highlighting the extent to which humans are exposed to bisphenol A; c) identify a responsible and precautionary legislative approach to managing bisphenol A and other harmful chemicals, and d) help parents decrease their children’s exposure to bisphenol A. 

The test results of our study indicate that the United States’ current lack of regulation of bisphenol A exposes infants and children to potentially dangerous levels of this unnecessary toxic chemical. Our study confirms the findings of the 2007 Environment California study that tested Avent, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, Gerber and Playtex baby bottles. All five brands of the popular polycarbonate bottles tested in Environment California’s study leached bisphenol A the range of 5–10 ppb.3 This report is the first dual-nation study to measure BPA leaching from baby bottles purchased from U.S. and Canadian retailers. 

Key Findings

• Popular brands Avent, Disney/The First Years, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, Gerber, and Playtex market baby bottles that leach bisphenol A when heated; • The laboratory tests detected between 5-8 ng/ml (parts per billion) bisphenol A leached from all bottles when heated;

• Based on over 150 peer-reviewed journal articles on bisphenol A,4 we conclude that the amount leaching from heated bottles is within the range shown to cause harm in animal studies and is therefore a health concern for infants;

• This report is the first dual-nation U.S./ Canadian study to measure the extent of bisphenol A leaching from plastic baby bottles;

• Dr. Brown’s brand bottles had the overall highest levels of bisphenol A leaching, while Avent brand bottles had the overall lowest levels of leaching in U.S. bottles; Canadian results differ.

• The levels of bisphenol A leaching increased dramatically when the bottles were heated, with highest concentrations reported from Dr. Brown’s brand bottles. These findings are significant as baby bottles are often heated, and/or very warm liquids are poured into bottles;

• Heating bottles to 80°C provides evidence of leaching when bottles are heated; heating to 80°C has been found to simulate 60–100 bottle washings and normal wear and use conditions;

• Major retailers including Babies”R”Us, CVS, Target, Toys”R”Us, Walgreens, and Wal-Mart sell baby bottles that leach bisphenol A when heated.

Recommendations

Based on the results of this study and the research that precedes it, Baby’s Toxic Bottle calls on major retailers and manufacturers of baby bottles to switch to safer products and phase out bisphenol A. Research shows5 that most people are exposed to bisphenol A at levels higher than those that cause health effects in animal studies. We support state policy efforts to safeguard our health by working to pass laws that phase out bisphenol A in baby bottles and other consumer products. And, we urge the federal government to reform chemical regulations to be more protective of human health, particularly the health of pregnant women and the in-utero child, as well as infants and children. In detail:

• Manufacturers and retailers should immediately phase out use of BPA-containing baby bottles in favor of available, safer products.

• States should act quickly to adopt policies to protect consumers and restrict BPA use in all food and beverage containers, including those intended for use by infants and children.

• The Food and Drug Administration and manufacturers of BPA-lined infact formula cans should respond urgently and with full disclosure to the landmark investigation by Reps. Dingell/Stupak into BPA leaching from infant formula cans.

• Champions at all levels of government should work to reform America's outdated chemical policies that are failing to protect Americans from chemicals already on the market. Policies must be adopted that prevent he leaching of some of these chemicals from our consumer goods into our food and water.

• The federal law regulating industrial chemicals is 30 years old. It is outdated and does not protect Americans. We need to reform this law to protect consumers. The Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA) must be amended to:

– Require comprehensive, publicly available health data on industrial chemicals

– Require product manufacturers to test and disclose the chemical contents of their products

– Prohibit the use of dangerous chemicals in products, especially those targeted at infants and children

– Arm consumers with useful information to make safer product choices

– Provide information and technical resources to businesses so they can make products safe for consumers, and invest in green economic development to spur innovation of safer products.