Last year, FDA announced plans to ban bisphenol A (BPA) in baby bottles and children’s sippy cups after the American Chemistry Council petitioned the agency to withdraw approval for the use of polycarbonate resins containing BPA in baby bottles and sippy cups. But many would like to see BPA banned altogether from any packaging that comes into intimate contact with foods and beverages. The FDA had committed to decide by March 31, 2012 whether BPA (bisphenol A) should be banned from use in packaging for food and drinks, according to the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC).
Congressman Edward Markey (D-Massachusetts) sent FDA three petitions calling on the agency to remove approval for the use of BPA in many of the everyday household products that come in contact with food and beverages. Congressman Markey is a senior member of the Energy and Commerce Committee, which has jurisdiction over FDA. More specifically, Markey’s petitions request FDA to remove the regulatory approval for the use of BPA in infant formula and baby/toddler food packaging, small reusable household food and beverage containers and canned food packaging on the grounds that manufacturers have stopped using BPA in these products. In other words, once manufacturers abandon the use of BPA in products, they should not be able to use it in the future.