I want to personally thank the mothers who turned in more than 800 signatures to try to compel the state Board of Environmental Protection to ban the chemical bisphenol-A from baby and toddler food packaging (“Moms Turn in BPA Petition,” June 22). A common chemical used to harden plastic in our food containers, the dangers of BPA are well-known and documented, despite the fact that Gov. Paul LePage claimed that it only causes little beards on women.
BPA is found in bodies of more than 90 percent of Americans. Most people are exposed to BPA by eating canned foods. BPA leached out of the lining on the can, contaminating the food or beverage. BPA exposure causes a host of health problems. It disrupts the endocrine system, leading to prostate and breast cancer, reproductive system problems, birth defects and obesity. BPA also attacks developing babies, leading to learning and developmental disabilities. If food packaging were BPA-free, BPA exposure could be slashed by two-thirds.
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More than 5 billion pounds of BPA are produced every year by Dow Chemical, Bayer, Sunoco and other chemical makers. These chemical companies make millions off of making our children sick. It is time to take a stand and to build on the highly successful Kid Safe Products Law of 2010.
I urge Maine to ban bisphenol-A in infant formula, baby food and toddler food packaging. The state’s current ban on this toxic chemical in reusable food and beverage containers is a good first step, but it does not go far enough to protect the health of Maine people and our environment. I urge the state to do everything within its power to protect Maine children from toxic chemicals that rob them of a healthy life. Maine moms have spoken.
Linda Woods
Oakland
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