Plastic bottles made from polycarbonate can release a hormone-disrupting chemical known as bisphenol-A, or BPA, which is toxic. In the UK there is no legislation to force manufacturers to label products making it very difficult to select the safest product.
Reports suggest that small amounts of BPA may leach into infant formula or breast milk stored in polycarbonate containers, especially when the contents are heated. Worryingly, scratched or damaged bottles can leach up to nearly double that of new bottles.
“Animal studies show that BPA can interfere with the development and cause irreversible damage. BPA has interfered with the development of every system in which it has been tested. The earlier the exposure, the greater the damage. Accumulating laboratory evidence suggests that exposure to BPA could be linked to breast and prostate cancer, diabetes, obesity, ADHD, and autism.” Source: Healthy Child Healthy World*
Whilst the UK health watchdog Food Standards Agency insists the plastic bottles are safe, the Canadian government is banning the production and use of BPA. The WWF is calling on the UK government to ban or phase out the production and use of BPA, especially in products for children.
To protect your baby when bottle feeding select plastic bottles made of tempered glass or polyethylene or polypropylene (recycling symbols 1, 2 or 5).
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