Baby bottle safety crucial

When the Washington state Legislature reconvenes for the upcoming special legislative session, they will have the opportunity to enact the Safe Baby Bottle Act of 2009 (Senate Bill 5282). This act bans the use of bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles and other children’s food containers.

Studies show that in low doses BPA can mimic the body’s own hormones, causing a myriad of health problems, including hyperactivity and reproductive problems. BPA presents the greatest danger to children because it interferes with their developing endocrine systems, and because they receive the highest doses due to extensive use of BPA in plastic food and beverage containers.

As members of society, we own the responsibility to protect the future generation. To fulfill this responsibility we must ensure that parents can feel confident in the products that they purchase for their children. We must seize this opportunity to ban the use of BPA in children’s food and beverage containers. We must demand that our legislators use this special legislative session to pass SB 5282, the Safe Baby Bottle Act of 2009, and take this critical step in protecting our children’s mental and reproductive health.

Stephanie Engelbrecht

Cheney