Beware the pregnant woman...

...who extols the virtues of BPA.

Remember Bisphenol-A, the component of some polycarbonate plastics linked to reproductive disorders, developmental toxicity, and cancer?  The one found, until recently, in nearly every brand of baby bottle?  The one still in infant formula containers and canned food containers?  The one banned from baby bottles in Canada, significantly reduced from products in Japan, and increasingly banned in the U.S.?

I don't usually think that toxins in plastic are funny, but I actually laughed out loud when I saw this Washington Post story last week about the plastic industry's strategy to counter the anti-BPA movement:

The notes [from an industry meeting on BPA] said the executives are particularly concerned about the views of young mothers, who often make purchasing decisions for households and who are most likely to be focused on health concerns.

The attendees estimated it would cost $500,000 to craft a message for a public relations campaign, according to the notes. "Their 'holy grail' spokesperson would be a 'pregnant young mother who would be willing to speak around the country about the benefits of BPA,' " the notes said. [emphasis added]*

Let's just remember for a moment that it was you - mothers, armed with information - who got out way ahead of the FDA, the industry, and the retailers, and voted with your feet.  By buying glass and BPA-free plastic bottles, you got every major manufacturer of baby bottles to produce a BPA-free product.  The FDA was in recent years more interested in the plastics industry's view than the science, though this seems poised to change with pressure from Congress and a newly appointed commissioner. 

So, they really think that you're going to fall for an ad campaign featuring a pregnant mom who loves to feed her kids endocrine-disrupting plastic?  They've got a lot to learn.

*For fun, feel free to suggest a slogan in the comments section!

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