Baby-bottle health risks

Tim and Helen Hills went for a BPA-free bottle. Photo / Anthony Phelps

Parents are being warned against buying baby bottles made with a chemical linked to cancers and other health problems.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is a synthetic substance added to plastics to make them tougher. It is common in many hard, clear plastic baby's bottles and containers for adult drinks.

The warning comes in the wake of new research by the University of Auckland's Liggins Institute. A team led by Professor Murray Mitchell published findings this week showing that even low levels of BPA can be passed by pregnant mothers to their foetus through the placenta.

Mitchell said international research has linked the substance to breast and prostate cancer, hyperactivity, erectile dysfunction and other health issues.

He said it was crucial pregnant mothers drank from BPA-free bottles and urged parents to use glass, disposable bottles or BPA-free bottles for babies.

Mitchell is calling for a complete ban on BPA, which is outlawed in Denmark, Canada and three US states.

Six of the biggest baby-bottle manufacturers in the US, including Disney, have stopped using it and scientists are lobbying for a ban in Britain.

Mitchell said he advised a New Zealand Health Ministry sub-committee last year to outlaw the chemical. He claims officials said they were "overloaded" by a list of environmental contaminants to evaluate.

"If the Canadian Government has moved you would wonder why the New Zealand Government seems to be silent on the issue," he said.

Mitchell, whose research has been published in the American Journal of Obstetrics and Gynecology, said manufacturers were not required to say if their products contained BPA.

His study was carried out on women's placentas and revealed a foetus could be "completely exposed" to the chemical and was unable to "deal with the compounds".

Glass, disposable and BPA-free alternatives to hard, plastic bottles are available, but can be more expensive.

The website babyuniverse.co.nz sells glass bottles for $7.99 and BPA-free plastic bottles for $23.99, compared to $3.79 for a basic, hard-plastic Baby's Best alternative at The Warehouse.

Mitchell said he bought disposable bottles for his son and advised others to do the same.

The ministries of health and consumer affairs referred questions about BPA to the New Zealand Food Safety Authority.

An authority spokesman said they welcomed new research, but took into account all the evidence available when making decisions.

Other international studies had found that expected levels of exposure to BPA did not pose a risk to consumers, whatever their age.

Parents pay for peace of mind

Tim and Helen Hills didn't mind spending extra money on a BPA-free bottle for their 10-month-old daughter, Beth.

The Wellington couple bought an Avent bottle for several times the price of a basic, hard-plastic alternative, after researching the health risks linked to the substance.

Tim, a 30-year-old banker, said he and Helen, a 28-year-old sleep psychologist, paid more "so we would feel comfortable - it's a security blanket".

He said they were like many Kiwi parents who would rather buy the "healthier, greener" option, just in case.

He said many retailers appearedto have high-quality bottles on their shelves - probably for the higher profit margins, but also for well-informed consumers who wanted the best for their babies.

And if there was concern over BPA he hoped the Government or Plunket would advocate for a ban on the sale of such products.


rachel.grunwell@hos.co.nz