CALLING FOR A BAN ON BPA

A number of harmful chemicals are used in the production of plastics used in baby products. These include BPA, PVC & Phthalates. These chemicals have been proven to be absorbed into our bodies and have been blamed for the rise in the number of people suffering from cancer, asthma and infertility.

Bisphenol-A - known as BPA - is found in hard, clear plastics such as baby bottles, plastic water bottles, soothers, teethers and food containers. It is also found in metal-based food and drink cans - including baby formula cans. It has been found that with heat BPA leaks into food and drink.

BPA is a known hormone disruptor and mimics the female sex hormone estrogen in the body. It is thought that it can interfere with healthy growth and reproduction, which is why there is so much focus on reducing the exposure to BPA for babies and young children.

Over 300 research papers have now been published linking BPA to a number of health problems such as breast and prostrate cancer, reproductive abnormalities, early onset puberty, diabetes, obesity, heart disease, hormone disruption and neural and behavioral effects in infants and children.

A research team from the University of Exeter, Peninsula Medical School, the University of Plymouth and the University of Iowa, has found evidence linking Bisphenol A to diabetes and heart disease in adults. Professor David Melzer, Professor of Epidemiology and Public Health at the Peninsula Medical School (Exeter, UK), who led the team commented: “Our study has revealed, for the first time, an association between raised BPA loads and two common diseases in adults. At the moment we can’t be absolutely sure that BPA is the direct cause of the extra cases of heart disease and diabetes: if it is, some cases of these serious conditions could be prevented by reducing BPA exposure.”

Similarly, Breast Cancer UK (BCUK) - a patient advocacy organization that represents UK consumer views on breast cancer – believe that the exposure of very young children to Bisphenol A may be linked “to increased risk of breast cancer as well as many other chronic diseases.” The BCUK recently launched a “No More BPA” campaign to persuade the UK Government to end the use of BPA in baby bottles.

Certainly, the UK seems to be lagging in recognizing this issue as a major health concern. Canada became the first country to ban BPA use in baby bottles. There is also increasing pressure for products containing BPA, PVC and Phthalates to be banned within the European market. Denmark recently banned BPA from baby feeding products and France is set to do the same. Last year, in the US, Connecticut and Minnesota passed the first state bans on BPA in food and drink containers for children 3 and younger. Chicago and Suffolk County, N.Y., took similar action. This year, Washington state has passed bans on BPA use in bottles and cups for young children and Wisconsin’s Senate approved banning BPA use in bottles and cups for children 3 and younger. According to US health media, similar bills are also pending in Oregan, Maryland, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington DC.

Recently, the dangers of BPA have been hitting the news in the UK more recently. The Independent newspaper published two powerful articles on its website on the prevalence and danger of BPA in baby products in the UK. The articles highlighted the UK as a laggard in banning BPA and highlighted the research into the potential damaging effects of BPA. There have also been a lot of news articles about the health risks to adults drinking from plastic bottles and subsequently there are BPA free bottles for adults available to purchase from retailers.

VUPbaby was established to give parents the ease and security of knowing that they are buying safe BPA free and non-toxic products for their babies and children that have been carefully vetted and chosen.

“Our range of products has been carefully selected from around the world, offering parents the choice to give their precious ones the best possible start in life,” commented Heena Thakker, a co-founder of VUPbaby. “As a new mum, I found it difficult to source products in the UK, which were BPA free but also free of PVC and Phthalates. I was concerned about the long-term effects these could have on my baby’s health and made a conscious effort to avoid these chemicals in the products I bought – which was not easy in the UK.”

Laila Patel, also a co-founder commented, “The more we found about the effects of these toxic products, the more determined we were to launch a business whose main mission is to offer a selection of carefully vetted BPA free products and information to allow parents to make an informed decision when buying products for their children”.

The VUPbaby website at www.vupbaby.co.uk also has a blog and links to research on studies on the impact of these chemicals and provides practical information about their products to help parents make an informed choice.

Notes

For further information, please email press@vupbaby.co.uk or call 020 7183 8051.

ENDS