What is Bisphenol A?
Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastic is used in thousands of consumer products such as reusable food and drink containers, lifesaving medical devices and sport safety equipment because it prevents cracking and shattering that can lead to injuries. This chemical is used in production of most plastic baby bottles.

Why may plastic feeding bottles be dangerous?
Recent studies show that Bisphenol A can leach out and potentially have development effects on infants and newborns. When plastic baby bottles containing BPA are frequently used and exposed to the wear and tear and hot liquids the BPA seeps out much faster. This is of some concern as studies show that a small amount of exposure of BPA to infants and newborns could cause such effects as damage to the developing brains of newborns and infants; sensitivity to onset disease later on in life; effects on hormones.

What can you do about it?
Canada has already banned all polycarbonate baby bottles from their store shelves. New Zealand has not announced any ban on BPA at this stage. However, even now you can take the following precautions to minimize the BPA effect on your children:
- Use GLASS feeding bottles.
- Do not mistreat Polycarbonate-BPA-containing bottles by exposing them to high levels of hot water & heating.
- Use BPA free feeding bottles.
- Avoid using PC Bottles for more than one child & do not recycle them.

What are the benefits of glass bottles?
- Glass bottles can be boiled or sterilised in conventional sterilisers with no risk of any chemicals entering baby's drink.
- Plastic bottles can develop cracks after a while, which may harbour bacteria. Glass bottles are more hygienic in this respect.
- Glass bottles are less likely to hold smells and tastes from previous feeds. Plastic bottles can sometimes harbour odours even after cleaning.
- Glass can be recycled and lasts longer than plastic. In addition, the production of glass does not harm the environment in the way that the manufacture of plastic does.

Disclaimer:
This article is for your information only. We take no responsibility for the accuracy and reliability of the information in this article. This information has been gathered from different internet sources and it is up to the consumer to ensure the accuracy of this information.