SACRAMENTO— Assemblywoman Fiona Ma (D-San Francisco) today unveiled legislation, AB 1108, to keep toxic chemicals, bisphenol – A and phthalates, out of toys and care products used by babies. The bill is modeled after an ordinance that Ma wrote while at the Board of Supervisors in San Francisco. The bill was introduced on the heels of a new report showing that bisphenol – A, a hormone-disrupting toxic chemical linked to developmental, neural, and reproductive problems, leaches from clear, plastic baby bottles into liquids contained in the bottles.

“The alarming findings of this report are even further evidence of the need for legislative action,” said Assemblywoman Ma. “Now is the time to remove dangerous toxics from store shelves.”

In Toxic Baby Bottles: Scientific Study Finds Leaching Chemicals in Clear Plastic Baby Bottles, Environment California Research and Policy Center worked with an independent laboratory to determine whether toxic chemicals leach from the most popular baby bottles on the market.  All five bottle brands tested leached bisphenol – A at levels found to cause harm in numerous laboratory animal studies.

AB 1108 will prohibit the manufacturing, sale, and distribution of toys and child care products intended for use by children under the age of three that contain bisphenol –A and certain phthalates.  The bill delays implementation of the law until January 1, 2009 to provide the industry with time to comply with the new restrictions.

Phthalates are a chemical substance used to make plastic soft and flexible.  Among other things they are used in soft plastic toys and other baby products, such as bath books, rubber ducks, and teethers.  Phthalates leach out of plastic over time and into the bodies of children, who have a tendency to suck on objects.  Phthalates have been shown to have a number of negative effects on human health:

·  Phthalates interfere with the natural functioning of the hormone system

·  Exposure may cause reproductive and genital defects

·  Exposure is linked to premature birth and early onset of puberty

·  Phthalates may lower sperm count and are associated with the risk factors of testicular cancer

Bisphenol – A is a chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic.  Among other products, it can be found in clear plastic baby bottles.  Studies reveal that at very low levels bisphenol – A can cause endocrine disrupting effects, meaning it can disrupt the normal functioning of our hormones.  Studies show links between bisphenol – A exposure and problems such as obesity, ADHD, disruption of the thyroid system, reproductive impairment, and cancer.