I'd like to be able to tell parents that there's no need to worry -- that there's a coordinated national system in place that requires chemicals to be tested for safety before they are used in children's products, that requires manufacturers to disclose the chemical components of their products, and that requires dangerous chemicals to be quickly phased out in favor of safer alternatives.
Sadly, that's simply not the case. As a result, parents are left in the dark and children are left at risk.
The good news is that some states, including Maine, are taking action. Maine's Board of Environmental Protection (BEP) is currently considering a proposal under this law to name bisphenol-A (BPA) as Maine's first Priority Chemical under the 2008 Kid-Safe Products Act, and ban its use in reusable food and beverage containers. There is overwhelming scientific evidence that supports this recommendation.
