Tens of thousands of you joined our national campaign to get the harmful chemical bisphenol A out of children’s products–and your work is having a huge impact!
Eleven states have now passed bans on BPA in certain children’s food and drink containers, and bills have been introduced in Congress to do the same nationally. Some states have gone even further and banned BPA from other products such as sports water bottles and infant formula containers.
Consumers Union believes the chemical should be banned in all food and beverage containers because of its health risks. BPA exposure has been linked to an increased risk of breast and prostate cancer, early puberty, childhood obesity, autism, and hyperactivity. Children metabolize the chemical more slowly than adults, putting them especially at risk.
Check below to see what progress has been made in your state, and keep working with us until we get a nationwide BPA ban in all food and beverage containers!
|
State |
BPA banned from… |
Law goes into effect… |
| California | Baby bottles and sippy cups | July 1, 2013 |
| Connecticut (multiple laws passed) |
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| Delaware | Baby bottles, sippy cups | January 1, 2012 |
| Maine | Reusable food and beverage containers | January 1, 2012 |
| Maryland (multiple laws passed) |
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| Massachusetts | Baby bottles, sippy cups | July 1, 2011 |
| Minnesota | Baby bottles, sippy cups. | January 1, 2011 |
| New York | Baby bottles, sippy cups, pacifiers | December 1, 2010 |
| Washington | Baby bottles, sippy cups, and other reusable food containers meant for children under age three, reusable sports bottles | July 1, 2011. For sports bottles: July 1, 2012. |
| Wisconsin | Baby bottles, sippy cups | June 2010 |
| Vermont | All reusable food and beverage containers (including baby bottles, sippy cups, thermoses and sports bottles),infant formula containers, baby food jars | July 1, 2012. For infant formula cans: July 1, 2014. |
Pending national legislation
Two bills in Congress would dramatically reduce the risk of BPA exposure.
Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif) has introduced a bill in the U.S. Senate banning BPA nationally in baby bottles, sippy cups, baby food, and infant formula. It also requires the FDA to conduct a safety assessment to determine whether BPA’s use in all food and beverage containers meets the standard of reasonable certainty of no harm.
Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has introduced a bill in the U.S. House of Representatives banning BPA in all food and beverage containers, and requiring periodic FDA safety reviews of substances used to make food and beverage containers. This bill would also limit the use of any substance FDA determines may pose health risks, based on new scientific information.