Feb 28, 2007 12:50 pm US/Eastern
Group Warns Some Plastic Baby Bottles Are Toxic
SAN FRANCISCO (CBS) ―
A consumer advocacy group has issued a warning to parents of newborns.
The California Environment Research and Policy Center says toxic chemicals can leak out from certain baby bottles, reports CBS station KOVR-TV in Sacramento, Calif.
In general, the group says avoid the hard, clear plastic and go with the softer ones.
"This is squeezable, opaque in appearance, where as the polycarbonate plastic which is unsafe is harder, can't bend it, both are shatterproof, this is harder and typically clear in appearance." explained Environmental California spokeswoman Rachel Gibson.
The group says the chemicals in the bottles have been linked to developmental and reproductive problems.
The independent laboratory study was conducted in cooperation with the Environment California Research and Policy Center to test whether bisphenol A, a chemical used to make clear plastic for consumer products, including baby bottles, was released into the liquids the bottles contained.
The group tested five popular baby bottle brands - Avent, Dr. Brown's, Evenflo, Gerber and Playtex - all five of which leached bisphenol A at levels "found to cause harm in numerous laboratory animal studies," Gibson said.
According to Gibson, the plastic material in containers breaks down through use and releases bisphenol A into liquids and food.
Bisphenol A has been linked by scientists to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity, diabetes and hyperactivity, Gibson said.
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