San Francisco Chronicle
TOXIC TOYS
San Francisco prepares to ban certain chemicals in products for kids, but enforcement will be tough -- and toymakers question necessity
Jane Kay, Chronicle Environment Writer
Sunday, November 19, 2006
It's often impossible for parents to tell if the teething ring or baby rattle they hand their children contains bisphenol A or phthalates. The Chronicle purchased 16 children's products and sent them to the STAT Analysis Corp. laboratory in Chicago, one of the few commercial labs that test for these chemicals.
The city's ordinance bans the manufacture, distribution or sale of items intended for children younger than 3 if they contain any level of bisphenol A. Six different forms of phthalates are covered by the ban, which sets the maximum phthalate level at 0.1 percent of the chemical makeup of any part of the product. Three of those phthalates are banned only in items intended for kids younger than 3, but the law doesn't include age limits for products that contain three other phthalates -- DEHP, DBP and BBP.
http://www.avent.com/uk/en/learn_more_faq_bottle_feeding.php#q20
What is Bisphenol-A, and what are the issues surrounding BPA?
Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastic and food/beverage can coatings.
Over 50 years of research and extensive use throughout the world provides overwhelming scientific evidence that polycarbonate is safe for the manufacture of baby feeding bottles.
International regulatory agencies responsible for consumer protection, including the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), the UK Food Standards Agency, the US Food and Drugs Administration (FDA) and the Japanese Ministry of Health, have assessed the potential health effects of BPA. All conclude that consumer products made from materials containing BPA, including polycarbonate, are safe for their intended use.
In April 2005 the FDA reconfirmed the safety of the use of polycarbonate for food contact including baby feeding bottles stating that “based on all the evidence available at this time, FDA sees no reason to change its long-held position that current uses with food are safe.”
Avent Bottles are independently tested in accordance with and comply to the latest European Standard for Drinking Equipment for Children-EN14350: 2004 which includes a limit for the migration of BPA.
Avent is committed to the safety of mothers and babies.
Avent bottles are used by millions of happy, healthy babies and families in over 70 countries worldwide and conform to the most stringent national and international standards.
