BPA now banned in baby bottles and sippy cups

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) announced that baby bottles and sippy cups can no longer contain Bisphenol-a, or BPA.  The request to ban the chemical in baby products was made by the U.S. chemical industry's chief association, the American Chemistry Council, last October after they found that industry manufacturers of bottles and sippy cups had already ceased using the BPA because of health concerns. Past research has linked the chemical to increased risk of certain types of cancers, diabetes, reproductive abnormalities and heart disease. 

FDA spokesman Allen Curtis said in a statement that the regulatory decision was based on the bottle industry's phase out of the chemical. ACC's request for FDA to officially ban the use of BPA may help reduce the years of negative publicity from consumer groups and lead to BPA being banned from other types of packaging due to health concerns. 

Some members of the U.S. Congress have already introduced some bills calling to ban BPA nationwide in all canned food, water bottles and food containers. This inspite of assurance from chemical manufacturers that the organic compound used to harden plastic products, is safe for all food and drink uses.