The city council of Chicago voted on May 13, 2009 to ban the use of BPA in all beverage and food containers labeled for use by children under the age of three. The ban was approved after stricter legislation that included all children’s products was defeated. The ban will apply to all containers sold after January 31, 2010. Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a chemical used during the manufacturing process that hardens plastic. The chemical has been linked to developmental delays as well as an increase in certain types of cancers and diabetes.