Wisconsin’s governor signed a bill into law yesterday that bans the dangerous chemical bisphenol-A (BPA) in all cups sold in Wisconsin for children three years and younger. The ban will cover baby bottles, sippy cups and other similar products used by young children. Many studies have found that BPA is an endocrine-disrupter in animals, including early sexual maturation, altered development of the mammary gland and decreased sperm production in offspring.
A recent FDA announcement indicated “some concern” about how BPA may affect babies and children. The federal agency has now put $30 million aside for additional research studies over the next 2 years. Last year, a Harvard study found that participants who drank for one week from the popular polycarbonate (hard plastic) bottles, commonly used as water and baby bottles, had a 66% increase of BPA in their urine. The study concluded that BPA is leached from the container into the blood stream in sufficient quantities to show up in the urine.
The dangerous chemical has already been banned in Minnesota, Connecticut, the city of Chicago, and three counties in New York. Legislation to ban BPA in childrens’ products is currently pending in Washington, Maryland, Massachusetts, Missouri, New Jersey, New Mexico, New York, Pennsylvania, Vermont and Washington, D.C. Canada was the first country to pass a nationwide ban of BPA. The North Carolina Legislature should take steps to protect all North Carolina children from BPA because children do not get to chose the type of container from which they drink.
At Davis Law Group, we believe that any product introduced into the stream of commerce that is dangerous to consumers, when used as intended, is defective. Corporations that sell defective products are responsible for the harms and losses those products cause. If you have a negative experience with a product that you think is unsafe and/or defective, you should report it to the US Consumer Product Safety Commission (CSPC). If you suffer an injury from using an unsafe and/or defective product and have questions about your legal rights, feel free to contact Attorney Brian Davis to discuss your situation.