Help pass BPA legislation

As a longtime Lodi resident, a mother of two young children and a teacher in Galt, I want to thank you for the article in the Aug. 29 Lodi News-Sentinel regarding water bottles and BPA.

I have been doing some "digging" recently about the dangers of BPA, and I have to say, the information is alarming. BPA is used in most plastic products. It can seep out of those products and into our food and drink. Babies and children are at the greatest risk because many baby feeding products, including baby bottles, contain BPA. Because our little ones are growing and developing, they cannot metabolize harmful chemicals as well as we adults can.

BPA has been linked to a frightening list of problems such as breast cancer, early puberty, obesity, and neurological changes, including autism. All of these are on the rise in our community. It seems crazy to me that this chemical is allowed in baby bottles.

State Sen. Fran Pavley is trying to ban BPA from children's feeding products. Other states have already banned BPA. California should follow suit. The health of our children is too important. We as parents, teachers and concerned citizens should demand safe products for our kids.

Please urge our lawmakers to pass this important piece of legislation.

Susan Petersen
Lodi

Reader Feedback

Acampo_Mom wrote on Sep 12, 2009 6:41 PM:

" This thread is probably dead...but I'll comment anyway...
Rhodie, you're right...you die anyway, BUT...I've got two young daughters and it just makes my blood boil to think that when they were babies, I may have been poisoning them every time I heated a bottle for them, or every time they re-used a plastic water bottle (countless times as they are in various sports) before the info was publicly available. Various female cancers run in my family. And learning from the new info that has come out, BPA may be directly involved in the occurrence of those cancers. I'll take my chances with my own health, but when it comes to my kids'...You know what I mean? UGH so frustrating.

Cogito re: your last post: YEP! "

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Rhodie wrote on Sep 11, 2009 5:19 PM:

" Cog. This spring drove me nuts. I was coaching a basebal team and after every game I was walking away with 5-6 bottles of water/sports drink the kids would bring then leave there. After practices there would be 2-4 bottles. my oldest and I would pack them out and all the bottle I got paid for almost all of the year-end awards for the team (best recycler wasn't one of them). I like my green teas, Lipton the best, so about every two months I get twelve bottles, those bottles are reused over and over, bleached and rinsed, used over and over until they are lost (usually the lids) or are beyond the ability of clorox to clean. Outside of those we use those hard plastic bottles extensively. Had a steel one and it felt like it was cutting into the corners of my mouth.

The way I see it, live right, eat right, die anyway. After BPA there will be another and another and another. Soon we'll be drinking out of leaves organically grown. "

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Cogito wrote on Sep 11, 2009 9:03 AM:

" Acampo Mom, I have had the 5 gal. containers in my house for 25 years. I started getting them after reading my water analysis from the Water District in Woodbridge. There were more 15 plus letter ingredients in my water than I cared to imbibe. But, most bottled water is just filtered municipal water, well water, or unfiltered spring water. The bad thing is, the closer you live to arable ag land, the higher your potential for chemicals leeching into your water system. It's hard to figure out what to do. But the small plastic bottles are an environmental nightmare. "

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Acampo_Mom wrote on Sep 11, 2009 8:12 AM:

" Cogito and Dogs...Our water comes from a county maintained well. We get water reports every year and I'm just not comfortable with the levels of arsenic and other contaminates. I doubt a Brita would sufficiently filter that kind of stuff out.
For the time being I get the 5 gallon bottles of water, but upon investigating I've learned that even those big bottles use unsafe plastic.

I've read, though, that as long as the plastic isn't heated/cooked (such as being left in a hot car, dishwasher, microwave) the contents are safe. I'll have to go with that until I find a better alternative. "

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Gator wrote on Sep 10, 2009 7:11 PM:

" Up highway 80 in the little town of Baxter there is a major sized cave where
Tankers from Calistoga, Arrowhead and a number of other Bottled water
Companies take from an aquifer deep beneath the Sierras.. Clean and pure. "

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T & C wrote on Sep 10, 2009 7:07 PM:

" Here is good "BP free sports water bottle website!

http://www.fuelforadventure.com/better-bottle-1.html " "

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Bob Hussein Loblaw wrote on Sep 10, 2009 3:01 PM:

" Gotta disagree dogs. The water in SF and on The Peninsula, piped in from Hetch Hetchy, is the best. "

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dogs4you wrote on Sep 10, 2009 12:27 PM:

" Tap water has been proven to be as good or better than anything that comes out of a can or bottle. The best tasting water I ever had comes from the water treatment plant located in the Rancho Calaveras section of Valley Springs.

Believe it or not, the best tasting water for big cities in this country is the stuff that comes from the tap in Los Angles. I`m just a messenger, so don`t shoot me. "

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smokeater8 wrote on Sep 10, 2009 8:45 AM:

" If stainless stell bottles make your liquid taste off, try buying aluminum sports bottles. It's hard to tell the difference...you need to read the label, but the aluminum isn't as reactive with acidic products (such as sports drinks) and isn't as likely to cause a flavor problem. I utilize both, depnding on what will be in the bottle. "

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Cogito wrote on Sep 10, 2009 8:15 AM:

" The alarming increase in cases of autism has to have an environmental link. We need to remain diligent in our search for its cause. We owe it to the kids. We don't need to put unhealthy chemicals into their bodies while being under the possibly false impression that bottled water is healthier. Get a Britta and go back to the tap. You'll save some money, and do something positive for the environment to boot. "

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Acampo_Mom wrote on Sep 10, 2009 8:06 AM:

" I've looked and looked for brands of water (individual sizes) and sports drinks whose bottles don't contain the BPA. They are non-existent. I've quit buying gatorade (and other such drinks) and individual sized water, opting for BPA free water bottles purchased at a sporting goods store. Stainless steel is an option, but makes the drink taste "off" in my opinion.

It makes me angry that these industries will gamble with their consumers' health just to save a few bucks. If a company decides to go against the grain and start bottling/canning with BPA free containers...I'll pay the higher price. "

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T & C wrote on Sep 10, 2009 7:51 AM:

" BPA is in virtually Every sports water bottle as well as many many typical plastic products used in the home, including food storage containers! Learn the facts everyone please, it is your health! What is worse to find out is that BPA plastic coating is used in virtually every canned food or drink product to keep the tin from rusting. Ane you really thought the Cancer rate would go down?

"The Environmental Working Group tested canned food bought across America and found BPA in more than half of them, at levels they call "200 times the government's traditional safe level of exposure for industrial chemicals." There are no standards for BPA; it is allowed to be put in anything, and billions of pounds are produced each year.".
http://www.treehugger.com/files/2008/04/bpa-danger-from-cans.php

"The problem is that bisphenol A acts as a "xenoestrogen," which just means it's like the female hormone estrogen, except for two things: 1) it's foreign to the body, which is what "xeno" means, and 2) it is way more harmful than our natural estrogen for everyone, male and female. Breast Cancers are much more of a risk in women who carry a high burden of xenoestrogens."
http://heartspring.net/plastic_xeno_estrogen.html "

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T & C wrote on Sep 10, 2009 7:43 AM:

" I use only a "BPA FREE" Sports water bottle now for over a year! Europe and Canada are right on tract but the FDA is dragging its feet to protect Americans because of the bottling industry! Change is good when it protects your health!

http://www.fuelforadventure.com/better-bottle-1.html "

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