Baby Green: Bottles and BPA

If you know me then you know that the whole green thing only went to the next level in the last few years. I have learned more about my impact on the environment and more , since joining Chartreuse about the impact of the unnatural environment on my family.
Nearly everything we use has some sort of toxin in it. Our dishes, our clothes, most defiantly the products we use... but that is another blog.
This one is on BPA. What is that anyway? Bisphenol A, commonly abbreviated as BPA, is an organic compound with two phenol functional groups. It is a dysfunctional building block of several important plastics and plastic additives. With an annual production of 2–3 million metric tonnes, it is an important monomer in the production of polycarbonate, or plastic. I could probably bore you more about how the process takes place and how it is not really stable, I can also mention that it has been suspected since the 1930's that it may be toxic to humans but I think you are reading this to try to learn how to avoid the 'bad bottles".
I want to add, before going into the proposed safe list that this isn't something I have just rounded out to sell products as recently as Aug. 6, 2007
ABC news reported that :
"A report published online last week by the journal Reproductive Toxicology warned that a chemical used to make a wide variety of plastic goods, including most baby bottles, may not be safe. It's called bisphenol-A, or BPA.

Tests involving lab rats and mice have shown that even small amounts of exposure to BPA can lead to a range of serious ailments, says professor Frederick vom Saal, a biologist at the University of Missouri who authored the report.

"Very low doses [of BPA] — below the amounts that are present in humans — when, particularly, exposure occurs in fetuses and newborns, you end up with those babies eventually developing prostate cancer, breast cancer. They become hyperactive.
They show learning impairment. It's a poster chemical for attention deficit hyperactivity disorder," vom Saal said.
And it's in most of us: The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found BPA in the urine of 95 percent of people it tested. (NINETY FIVE PERCENT..)

In the last two years, state lawmakers in California, Maryland and Minnesota have tried to ban BPA, without success.

California Assemblywoman Fiona Ma introduced a bill to ban BPA and although that provision was eventually removed, she hopes to bring it back."I think it's a very serious chemical," she said. "The science is in." ".
Until there is a national ban on BPA, like Canada and the UK have already done here in America we can only stay informed, ask questions and make the best of the choices given us.
The Boston Globe published this resource and round of Q&A
The state’s warning is precise for parents of children up to age 2: Avoid transparent (clear or colored) plastic containers or baby bottles with the recycling number 7 and the letters PC (which stands for polycarbonate); use glass or stainless steel instead. If plastics are still being used, parents should avoid heating those containers because that can increase the release of the chemical. They should also wash the containers by hand with warm water and soap, instead of placing them in dishwashers.

Women who are pregnant or breast-feeding should also eat, or cook with, fresh or frozen products instead of canned foods that may contain BPA, to reduce fetal or infant exposure to the chemical, Condon said.

Some Answers to questions about BPA
How to avoid bisphenol A
Q. How do I know if a bottle has BPA in it?
A. Polycarbonate, the kind of plastic that contains BPA, is hard and clear. It may also be tinted. Look for a code on the bottom. If you see a number 7 recycling symbol, and the letters "PC", the bottle contains BPA. You should also avoid bottles with only the number 7; while not all contain BPA, most do.

Q. What should I use instead?
A. Glass or stainless steel bottles do not have BPA. There are also several kinds of plastic baby bottles that do not have BPA. However, studies on BPA-free products are too limited to recommend one product over another. Be sure you look at the bottom of the bottle and read the label carefully to make sure you are choosing a BPA-free bottle.

Q. What else can I do to protect my child?
A. Eat fresh or frozen fruits and vegetables instead of canned products (the lining contains BPA) if you're pregnant or breastfeeding. Do not heat food or drinks in polycarbonate plastic containers. You would be suprised where you find BPA.
Here are some BPA FREE baby bottles:
~Born Free makes BPA free and glass bottles.
~ Medela the champion among most breast feeding moms, offers BPA FREE bottles and pu,ping accesories.
~ Dr Brown's Natural GLASS bottles
~ Play tex drop ins are BPA free (but you know I absolutely don't advocate a disposable when there is an alternative.)
All of these are avaible at Target and Babies R Us as well as over the internet. There are less main stream brands - and I LOVE those as they actually have "lead the pack" and have been green and safe before the media rallied for safer products.
~ Green To Grow
~Wee Go baby bottles - these are glass with a rubbery sleeve to protect against breakage, The whole bottle is free of BPA, phthalates, PVC and polycarbonates. The bottle and sleeve can go into the dishwasher together for easy cleaning. The cap and ring should be hand washed, though.

On a side note - if you have children past bottle age and you are wondering about BPA - the answer is Yes there are risks of BPA in "sippies" to avoid that choose glass or stainless steel. Check out the stainless steel water bottle on www.greenlifecarolina.com . It comes in 2 different sizes and the smaller one is great for Toddlers.
Some additional recommended reading: