In November, we told you about the Earliest Exposures Report -- a report which described the test results of pregnant women who were tested in Washington, Oregon and California. Despite their best efforts, the mothers-to-be tested with high levels of levels of bisphenol A , mercury, phthalates, and perfluorinated -- or “Teflon” -- chemicals in their blood.

At the time, we stated that the Earliest Exposures study underlined the need for states to pass laws protecting children and pregnant women from toxic chemicals.

One of the women tested during the study was Dr. Molly Gray, a Washington state resident who is now the mother to 7-month old Pax.

Great news out of Washington state: Bisphenol-A (BPA) is close to being banned, which would make it the third state in the nation to pass a BPA ban in some form.

Here’s the current status: The Washington State House of Representatives last Monday passed a bill (SHB 1180) -- the Safe Baby Bottle Act -- which would ban BPA from baby bottles, sippy cups, children’s food containers, and sports water bottles. The bill passed with a 95-to-1 margin in the House.

Scientific studies have linked BPA to known health effects including impaired brain and reproductive development in unborn babies, miscarriage in pregnant women, diabetes, obesity and cancer.

Imagine that you're the captain of the world's largest oil tanker. And you see danger ahead, and you need to turn that ship around as soon as possible, or at least steer the tanker to get it out of danger. No matter how quickly you would like to respond, it still will take a while for the ship to change course.

That is the situation that the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) found itself in this week. The public has been awaiting a decision by the FDA on Bisphenol-A (BPA). Scientific studies have linked BPA to known health effects including impaired brain and reproductive development in unborn babies, miscarriage in pregnant women, diabetes, obesity and cancer.

The message is clear: Americans are getting fed up with the use of Bisphenol-A (BPA) in a tremendous number of products in our lives. Pick up most newspapers, journals and magazines and you will see articles showing health effects and concern over BPA use.

Scientific studies have linked BPA to known health effects including impaired brain and reproductive development in unborn babies, miscarriage in pregnant women, diabetes, obesity and cancer. Populations that are particularly vulnerable to BPA are infants, childrena and pregnant women.

We are watching movement on BPA on many fronts. Here's a round up of BPA news this week:

Monday, environmental health advocates saw a promised FDA deadline pass. Congressmen Waxman and Stupak formally asked the FDA for a decision about the safety of Bisphenol-A (BPA). Scientific studies have linked BPA to known health effects including impaired brain and reproductive development in unborn babies, miscarriage in pregnant women, diabetes, obesity and cancer.

The FDA, which is taking the lead on BPA because of its use in food packaging, had self-imposed a deadline of November 30 for a decision about whether to restrict BPA use in food and beverage containers.

Consumer Reports Magazine released a report last week about bisphenol-A that is found in common canned products including soups, tuna and vegetables. The results showed that BPA exists in nearly every canned product, in amounts greater than outdated federal suggested guidelines.

News of the Consumer Reports study moved quickly through the food community, as it affects nearly household. According to the study, "Consumers eating just one serving of the canned vegetable soup we tested would get about double what the FDA now considers typical average dietary daily exposure."

A study published in Environmental Health Perspectives this month states that bisphenol-A has been linked to behavior in children who were exposed to BPA in utero: young girls display more masculine tendencies and young boys display more feminine tendencies.

The study was conducted by testing BPA levels in the urine of pregnant women. The behavioral abnormalities seem to be affected by BPA level (the higher the mother’s BPA count, the larger deviation from norm was found in the children), and are most pronounced in children of women with high BPA levels during the first 16 weeks of pregnancy.

A fascinating article at Grist.com takes at look at how endocrine-disrupting chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA), flame retardants (PBDEs), PVC and phthalates are correlated to the obesity epidemic.

Can chemicals make us fat? Many scientists are starting to connect the dots that chemicals that mess with the delicate hormonal balance in the human body are indeed to blame for exploding rates of obesity, particularly in children and even babies.

Making the connection between the increased use of these chemicals and obesity is difficult since there are so many factors that contribute to obesity, including individuals’ diet and exercise. But one control group may be babies.

A recent British study is building on the case many scientists are making that endocrine-disrupting chemicals are responsible for a growing number of genital deformities and reproductive problems in men.

These chemicals, which include bisphenol A, phthalates and many pesticides, are suspected of blocking testosterone in pregnant women and activating estrogen in developing boys and grown men.

This disruption of the delicate balance of hormones is leading to birth defects in baby boys’ reproductive systems and is harming male sperm counts.

According to an article on miller-mccune.com:

The California state Assembly failed to pass SB 797, a bill which would have banned the toxic chemical bisphenol A (BPA) from use in children's food and drink products.

SB 797 failed to secure the necessary votes despite overwhelming support in favor of the ban because well-funded BPA industry lobbyists were successful in targeting legislators, swaying the vote against protecting California's children.

BPA industry meeting notes leaked in May revealed plans to "befriend people that are able to manipulate the legislative process." These tactics appear to have been successful —at least for now, as the bill could be taken up again by the Assembly as early as January 2010.

Read more at www.changecalifornia.org.