Health (DOH) a pat on the back for initiating a consultative meeting yesterday
for a long-awaited policy measure that will prohibit bisphenol A (BPA), an
endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC), in baby feeding bottles and sippy cups.
The proposed DOH administrative order (A.O.) got a boost from Arugaan and the
EcoWaste Coalition, which are actively seeking to uphold the right of every
baby to breastmilk, “the first complete and Zero Waste food,” against false
advertising and chemical pollution.
groups have long recommended to health authorities to impose a precautionary
ban on BPA in baby food and beverage containers citing regulatory actions on
BPA by dozens of countries to address growing consumers’ health and safety
concerns.
Governments
that have banned BPA in baby feeding bottles include the 27-nation European
Union, Canada and USA in North America, South Africa, and Australia, China,
Malaysia and Taiwan in Asia-Pacific.
“Banning BPA in baby bottles and cups is an important health milestone and we
hope that everyone will throw their support behind its speedy approval and subsequent
enforcement,” said Aileen Lucero, Acting National Coordinator, EcoWaste
Coalition.
“We urge the DOH to consider a more robust and stringent policy that will ban
BPA in baby milk powder and baby food containers to further cut childhood BPA
exposure through food contact materials,” added Ines Fernandez, Coordinator,
Arugaan.
Both groups are seeking a broader ban on BPA in baby food packaging to ensure
that defenseless babies and children are adequately protected against exposure
to a recognized EDC.
During
the deliberations, Arugaan and EcoWaste representatives pushed for consumer
right to information via uniform, visible and truthful product labels that will
indicate if a product is BPA-free or not.
They expressed support for the inclusion of a provision that will disallow the
substitution of BPA with alternatives that can also lead to adverse health
effects.
groups cited Senate Bill 3121 on
BPA filed by Sen. Miriam Defensor Santiago stating that “manufacturers shall
not replace BPA with substances that are known carcinogens, those that have
carcinogenic potentials, likely carcinogens, known to be human carcinogens,
likely to be human carcinogens, or suggestive of being carcinogens, and those
with reproductive toxicants.”
The groups emphasized the primacy of protecting children’s health over profits
as they stressed the need to apply the precautionary principle “to inform
decisions about exposure to, and risk from, potential endocrine disruptors.”
They supported the immediate promulgation of the ban on BPA-containing baby
feeding bottles and cups to ensure that non-compliant products are not imported
and dumped into the country.
a chemical used to manufacture hard polycarbonate plastic containers, is widely
used in clear plastic bottles and in food-can liners.
Studies have linked BPA exposure to reproductive, neurological and development
disorders, as well as to heart disease, obesity and cancer.
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