Planned Parenthood Article

Planned Parenthood Northern New England

Maine’s Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) has named bisphenol-A (BPA) and nonylphenols(NPs)as Maine’s first Priority Chemicals under the 2008 Kid-Safe Products Law. In addition, they provisionally adopted a phase out of BPA from baby bottles and sippy cups, which will be reviewed by the Maine Legislature before finalization.

Nonylphenols are used in detergents, personal care products, paints, and pesticides. Because they are endocrine (hormone) disruptors, exposure to nonylphenols can result in serious health effects, including reproductive damage. Because the dangers are widely recognized and safer alternatives are readily available, many manufacturers, retailers, and cleaning professionals have voluntarily stopped making or using products that contain NP or NPE. But because all efforts to date have been voluntary, NP and NPE can still be found in school, commercial, and industrial settings.

Despite the public outcry, the mounting scientific evidence of harm, and the actions of more and more states, the chemical industry continues to resist efforts to replace BPA with safer alternatives. Steve Taylor added, “Of the 80,000 chemicals in use today, Maine scientists have identified over 1700 as already proven harmful to children. Yet the chemical industry opposes doing anything about just two of the very worst. This flies in the face of common sense and suggests they just don’t get it. Parents, consumers, and retail businesses are all demanding safe products. The chemical industry needs to wake up and spend their energy developing safer chemicals instead of defending toxic ones.”

Article from Planned Parenthood Northern New England December 17^th 2010