Maine looking to ban BPA in childrens' products

In 2008, Maine passed the "Kids-Safe Products Act," one of the strongest toxic chemical laws in the nation. It requires that the state adopt a list of priority chemicals which are harmful to children and that they be phased out in order to protect this vulnerable population.

A list of 1700 "Chemicals of High Concern" have been identified by the state, and from that list Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) will be identifying "Priority Chemicals" at the rate of two per year which are particularly harmful to children. Chemicals identified on this list will be regulated in children's products and manufacturers will be required to disclose the use of these chemicals and move toward safer alternatives.

Maine's Department of Environmental Protection (DEP) has recommended that Bisphenol-A (BPA) be the first Priority Chemical listed under the new law.

"When it comes to toxic chemicals, it doesn’t get much worse than Bisphenol-A. This chemical is not only dangerous, it is everywhere. From baby bottles to pizza boxes, from canned food to credit card receipts, BPA is getting into our systems and causing serious health effects. We applaud DEP’s proposal to ban BPA from baby bottles and make it Maine’s first Priority Chemical. This will immediately protect children and help consumers get good information about other products that contain BPA."

Mike Belliveau, Executive Director of the Environmental Health Strategy Center

BPA bans are already in place in Vermont, Maryland, Minnesota, Connecticut, Wisconsin and Washington as well as several counties and cities in the United States. Laws are also under consideration in many states including Massachusetts, New York and California.

The banning of BPA as the first priority chemical in Maine will be an excellent first step, and health advocates in the state are looking for even more protection. Steve Taylor, program director at the Environmental Health Strategy Center, told Maine Public Broadcasting, "We're very pleased that the department has proposed bisphenol A as the first priority chemical for immediate action. We do hope the board will consider going farther ... Unfortunately there's a very, very large list of chemicals that are already harming our children. We have been advocating and campaigning for over a year for the department to prioritize a large number of those chemicals and get them out of the products that expose Maine's children." You can listen to the full story below.

The BPA ban will head for a public hearing in August, followed by a vote by the Board of Environmental Protection, and finally a vote in the Maine Legislature. If you are a Maine resident and would like to be apprised of updates and action alerts as the BPA ban progresses, you can sign up with the Environmental Health Strategy Center.

Maine Public Broadcasting, "Maine DEP Recommends Ban on Bisphenol-A".