Linked To Several Health Issues
Rep. Grace Meng along with Rep. Lois Capps of California and Sen Ed Markey of California have introduced legislation to ban the dangerous chemical bispenol-A, commonly referred to as BPA, from food and beverage containers.
BPA, a toxic chemical used to harden plastics and found in such everyday household products as Thermoses and canned foods and beverages, has been linked to breast cancer, infertility, early puberty and other health conditions. It is so prevalent in household items that more than 90 percent of the U.S. population has traces of it in their urine, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention.
“This legislation is a no brainer,” said Meng. “Prohibiting the use of BPA chemicals in food packaging and developing less dangerous alternatives is a smart, common sense approach to improving the safety of our children and families. These improvements would also go a long way towards protecting workers who produce products that contain BPA. I urge the House to swiftly pass this critical piece of legislation.”
The Ban Poisonous Additives Act (BPA Act), introduced in the House and Senate, last Wednesday, July 9 requires that:
– Reusable food and beverage containers (such as Thermoses) that contain BPA cannot be sold, and
– Other food and beverage containers (such as food or beverage cans) containing BPA cannot be introduced into commerce.
The Food and Drug Administration must also periodically review the list of substances that have been deemed safe for use in food and beverage containers in order to determine whether new scientific evidence exists that the substance may pose adverse health risks, taking into consideration vulnerable populations, including children, pregnant women, workers and disproportionately exposed communities.
