Chicago Votes to Ban BPA

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. However, the FDA has approved the substance as “considered safe” in small doses, which has included use in the manufacturing of children’s products.

Proponents of the chemical say the effects are most severe when exposure happens early in life and can be experienced due to continual exposure to small doses. The use of BPA in baby bottles and children’s food containers has been a source of controversy that has led many manufacturers to eliminate the substance prior to any legislation. The American Chemistry Council lobbied against the ban calling it unnecessary because small doses are considered harmless. Chicago is the first city in the United States to pass a ban on BPA in children’s products. The state of Minnesota passed similar legislation earlier this month.