- Phthalates make plastic soft and flexible. They are used in toys, rattles, teethers, and medical devices such as tubing.
- Bisphenol A makes plastics clear, strong, and hard to break. It is used in baby bottles, food containers and water bottles.
Scientists are debating whether these chemicals pose a risk to children’s health. Various scientific groups have reviewed the research and have come to different conclusions about these chemicals. The research is unclear. More studies are needed to find answers. The American Academy of Pediatrics has encouraged further research.
Representatives of the chemical industry believe that phthalates and bisphenol A in plastics are safe.
The European Union has banned phthalates from toys. But the U.S. government has not done so. In the United States and Canada, companies no longer use phthalates in the nipples of baby bottles, teethers, and toys intended to go in the baby’s mouth.
The National Toxicology Program (NTP) has concluded that one type of phthalate used in plastic medical tubing and equipment could pose a risk to the reproductive systems of baby boys. Some hospitals have begun to remove such products from newborn nurseries. In April 2008, the NTP expressed concern about the safety of bisphenol A for fetuses, infants and children.
What Some Parents Are Doing
Since research is still being done on phthalates and bisphenol A, some parents have chosen to be cautious. Here are some of the things they are doing:
- Breastfeeding their babies so they don’t have to use baby bottles
- Giving their babies toys made of fabric or unpainted wood
- Using baby bottles made of glass, polypropylene, or polyethylene
- Using baby products with labels that say they don’t contain BPA or phthalates
- Avoiding plastics numbered 7 (look for the number in a triangle typically found on the bottom of containers).
- Choosing plastics numbered 1, 2 and 4.
April 2008
