U.S. health officials acknowledge BPA concerns but won’t restrict its use for now

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WASHINGTON--Federal health officials today said there is “some concern” about the health risks to children and babies from the plastics additive known as BPA, but that they won’t restrict use of the substance pending further study. The long-awaited announcement is likely to stir concern among some consumer advocates who had campaigned aggressively for a ban on BPA in food containers. “In a word, [the Food and Drug Administration] does support the use of baby bottles with BPA” because the benefits of sound infant nutrition currently outweigh the known risks from BPA, said FDA Deputy Josh Sharfstein in describing the agency’s bottom line on the safety of the additive for babies. While public concern has focused on possible BPA exposure through the use of baby bottles, children’s cups and sports bottles, manufacturers have moved quickly to shift to BPA-free bottles and cups. And, the material used to line containers in which baby formula is sold also contain BPA and presents potential risks of its own. Sharfstein and other public health officials who addressed a press briefing this afternoon said that consumers still should limit children’s exposure to BPA by avoiding use of scratched baby bottles and sipping cups containing BPA and keeping hot liquids out of plastic containers made with the substance. FDA, the Department of Health and Human Services and other health agencies have committed $30 million to studying the health effects of BPA and expect results in 18 to 24 months. The delay in a definitive decision on the safety of BPA is in some ways lags behind events. Reacting to consumer pressure, the nation’s six largest plastic baby bottle makers, which control 90% of the market, have removed BPA from baby bottles sold in the U.S. -- Andrew Zajac