Tip - BPA-free plastics may be less safe than those with chemical

For Debra Berliner, the debate over using plastics in her home is manifested by a BPA-free plastic sippy cup her husband purchased for her 22-month-old son that remains opened but unused in a kitchen cabinet. BPA, a chemical that mimics the hormone estrogen, has been used to harden plastics for more than 40 years but has been banned from baby bottles and children's products because of growing concerns that it may be linked to a host of health issues. BPA-free cups testedResearchers from the environmental group tested 35 toddler drinking cups labeled BPA-free at two independent labs. The results showed nine of the sippy cups had significant amounts of estrogen-like activity, while seven of those cups had higher activity levels than those made with BPA. The study, which was released last week, came on the heels of a published U.S. Food and Drug Administration finding that BPA in low doses does not pose health risks, at least in the rats they studied. "The lead FDA researcher says the results of this recent study 'both support and extend the conclusion from the U.S. Food and Drug Administration that BPA is safe as currently used,' " Steve Hentges, a researcher with the group, said in a statement. Dr. William Goodson, a breast cancer specialist at San Francisco's California Pacific Medical Center who researches BPA's effects on the body, was skeptical of the research that declared low BPA exposure to be safe. "What I tell parents if they have any question at all about plastic is just to get glass or stainless steel," said Heather Rider, owner of Monkey Bars, an Alameda store that sells eco-friendly children's clothing and baby gear. First Years Disney Magical color-changing sippy cups ("Cars"; fairies; Minnie Mouse; Mickey Mouse Clubhouse; "Monsters, Inc.," both the boy and girl versions); Gerber Graduates color-changing cup; CamelBak Hearts spill-proof cup; Born Free Disney Mickey Mouse soft-spout cup.