What is BPA Free?

What is BPA and why is it bad?

Bisphenol-A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen used to harden polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resin. BPA has been used for nearly 50 years and has been suspected of being hazardous since the 1930s. According to numerous studies from the Environmental Working Group “trace BPA exposure been shown to disrupt the endocrine system and trigger a wide variety of disorders, including chromosomal and reproductive system abnormalities, impaired brain and neurological functions, cancer, cardiovascular system damage, adult-onset diabetes, early puberty, obesity and resistance to chemotherapy.” Put a little more simply, risks include prostate and breast cancer, higher rates of miscarriage, immune system dysfunction, testicular abnormalities in boys and puberty in girls younger than eight years old. The heated debate still goes on over BPA, but when it comes to my family I would rather be safe than sorry.

Which plastics should you avoid?

One of the big concerns with BPA is it leaching from plastic baby bottles, pacifiers, sippy cups, food containers, etc. into beverages and foods. So how do you know which baby/child products are safe and which to avoid? Since this all started, many companies have started putting “BPA Free” logos on their products. Major bottle brands like Avent, Dr. Brown, Playtex, Medela and Gerber plus many more have BPA free plastic bottles. The best thing to do is research before you go shopping. A very informative site to visit is The ZRecs Guide. Here you can find BPA information on bottles, pacifiers, cups, tableware, utensils and so much more. If you are still unsure, you can always contact the manufacturer.

It is also a good idea to learn which types of plastics you should avoid. This will help when picking out anything from baby bottles to toys to plastic food storage containers. Plastics are labeled with a number between 1 through 7. Plastics labeled with the number 7 and a “PC” are made of polycarbonate and contain BPA. You also want to avoid number 3 (PVC-polyvinyl chloride) and number 6 (PS-polystyrene), not for BPA issues but other toxin concerns. PVC plastics contain phthalates and the styrene in polystyrene plastics is toxic to the brain and nervous system.