What's supposed to nurture and feed your baby could have potentially harmful effects on your little one, if you believe a Toronto-based study that says toxic chemicals in baby bottles are linked to cancer and infertility.
The recent report from Environmental Defence found alarmingly high levels of
bisphenol A - also known as BPA - in of some of the most popular plastic baby bottles sold across Canada. As a result, parents are unknowingly putting their babies at risk.
BPA is known to mimic estrogen and has been linked to early puberty in girls, attention deficit and hyperactivity disorder, and obesity.
"Any baby that's drinking out of these bottles is going to be ingesting this toxic chemical every time they take a sip," warned Rick Smith, Executive Director of Environmental Defence.
"This chemical has been linked to thyroid problems in later life, breast cancer in women and prostate cancer in men."
In the study, nine different polycarbonate bottles from three different manufacturers were heated during testing and leached levels of the chemical that ranged between five to eight parts per billion.
A series of tests - conducted at both room temperature and after the bottles were heated - found concentrations of bisphenol A in the following baby bottles bought in Canada:
Leaching levels are measured in nanogram bisphenol A / ml liquid (ng/ml) or ppb
Bottle sample: Avent
Average leaching when heated: 7.07 ng/ml
Bottle sample: Gerber
Average leaching when heated: 6.78ng/ml
Bottle sample: Playtex
Average leaching when heated: 4.92 ng/ml
And you don't have to be a scientist to understand the findings of this lengthy study. In a nutshell, it's saying that the amount of the toxic chemical leaching from heated bottles is a significant health concern to your tot.
Meanwhile, the plastics industry insists the chemical is safe in small doses. But parents aren't convinced.
"I wouldn't take a chance. I wouldn't take a chance at all," said one monther Laurie Bernardi. "As of tonight when I go home they're [the bottles] going straight to the garbage."
"I just can't believe they're still selling them on the shelves," said another mother Leah Nole.
So what's the alternative? Glass bottles are reportedly making a comeback and more safe plastic bottles are hitting store shelves.
More on bisphenol A:
Health Canada
Environmental Defence Fact Sheet
The Other Side: bisphenol A Manufacturers
To read the full study, click
here.