UN Highlights 'Uncertainties' On Baby Bottle Chemical

10th December 2009

Breast Cancer today strongly welcomed the announcement from the UN World Health Organisation that it is to host a meeting to review the science BPA and exposure through food contact products.

Acting in conjunction with the UN Food and Agricultural Organisation the WHO have stated it is taking action in light of 'uncertainties [in the scientific community] about the possibility of adverse human health effects at low doses of BPA, especially on reproduction, the nervous system and on behavioural development, and considering the relatively higher exposure of very young children compared with adults.'

Clare Dimmer, the Chair of Trustees at Breast Cancer UK said:

"With BPA rising on the agenda internationally, we are calling for politicians to take action at home. The World Health Organisation is highlighting uncertainties we share particularly on very young children being exposed to relatively high levels of BPA. If we stopped putting BPA into baby bottles we can close an important pathway of exposure. The rest of us have the option to make up our own mind about BPA, parents just want the reassurance from Government that baby bottles are BPA free."

Breast Cancer UK recently highlighted in its No More BPA report a small sample of the hundreds of the independent scientific peer reviewed studies that identify exposure to BPA potential risk factor of a range of chronic health conditions including breast cancer.

The announcement from the WHO can be found here:

http://www.who.int/foodsafety/chem/chemicals/bisphenol/en/

Health Canada who are hosting the meeting on behalf of the Canadian Government have also released a statement:

http://www.hc-sc.gc.ca/ahc-asc/media/nr-cp/_2009/2009_198-eng.php