Plastics Chemicals May Affect Babies’ Cell “Programming”
Published: 2 October 2007
Category: Bisphenol A (BPA), Packaging CONCERNS, Reproductive/Hormonal Changes
US News reports the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), used in the manufacturing of certain plastics products including baby bottles, “is especially bad for babies,” as exposure to certain toxic chemicals can disrupt the delicate process of cell “programming.” BPA can allegedly mimic the hormone estrogen, interfering with hormone levels and cell signaling systems. According to Retha Newbold, a developmental and reproductive biologist at the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences in Triangle Park, N.C., “Plastic bottles and plates that are boiled or put in the microwave or dishwasher are especially problematic because heating them repeatedly causes high amounts of BPA to leach out.”