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News-in-Brief ACTION ALERT

Get Neurotoxic Chemical Bisphenol A Out of Food & Beverage Containers

Dear Theresa,

ACTION ALERT - PLEASE ACT NOW!

You've probably seen the latest headlines about the neurotoxic chemical

bisphenol-A (BPA) leaching into our food and beverages.

On November 5th, Consumer Reports published a study looking at BPA levels in

19 different name-brand foods and found that a diverse assortment of canned

foods, including some labeled as " organic " and " BPA-free, " contained

measurable levels of BPA.

The study concluded that children eating multiple servings per day of canned

foods with BPA could get a dose of BPA near levels that have caused adverse

effects in several animal studies.

A few days later, New York Times columnist Kristof wrote a

compelling piece sounding the alarm on this hormone-disrupting chemical. A

study released in October found an association between women's exposure to

Bisphenol A during pregnancy and aggressive behavior in their daughters at

two years of age. And a study released in November revealed that male

Chinese factory workers exposed to high levels of BPA had increased

incidences of sexual dysfunction.

The science is clear. More than 200 peer-reviewed studies show that this

extremely toxic, synthetic estrogen is so powerful it can cross the placenta

at parts per billion or parts per trillion and negatively impact prenatal

development, including brain development.

Adverse health effects associated with BPA exposure include neurological

problems causing changes in behavior, increased risk of breast and prostate

cancer, genital abnormalities in male babies, early puberty in girls, and

metabolic disorders such as insulin resistance and altered fat metabolism.

BPA is considered the building block of polycarbonate plastic and can be

found in baby bottles, water bottles and food storage containers. It is also

used in epoxy resins that coat the lining of metal food cans, including

infant formula cans.

It is one of the most pervasive synthetic chemicals in modern life with more

than 2 billion pounds a year produced in the United States alone.

Right now the Senate is considering the " Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009

(S.593 - the BPA Act of 2009), " legislation introduced by Senator Feinstein

that would ban BPA from food and beverage containers.

Send an email to your Senator asking them to co-sponsor the Ban Poisonous

Substances (BPA) Act of 2009. Find your senators contact information here.

Below is a sample email for you to adapt to your home state. Or you may

call any Senate office through the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.

________________________________________________

SAMPLE EMAIL:

Dear Senator_____________________:

As a member of LDA of (specify state affiliate), I urge you to co-sponsor

S.593, the BPA Act of 2009. This important legislation, sponsored by Senator

Feinstein, would eliminate the use of the toxic chemical bisphenol-A (BPA)

from food and beverage containers regulated by the FDA.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of the most pervasive chemicals in modern life. As

the building block of polycarbonate plastic and a component of epoxy resins,

BPA is used in thousands of consumer products, including food packaging.

The CDC found BPA in 93% of all Americans and the scientific literature

points to food as being a major route of exposure.

BPA is so toxic that parts per billion or even parts per trillion have been

shown to cross the placenta and disrupt normal prenatal development. More

than 200 studies have linked BPA exposures at very low levels to breast and

prostate cancer, cardiac disease, obesity, diabetes, altered development of

the brain and immune systems, lowered sperm counts and early puberty.

In April 2008, Canada declared BPA to be a toxic substance and announced

that it would ban BPA in baby bottles and restrict its use in infant formula

cans. In May 2009, Minnesota became the first state in the nation to ban BPA

from children's products. Connecticut enacted legislation to ban BPA from

infant formula and baby food containers in addition to baby bottles, sippy

cups and reusable food and beverage containers in July 2009. Both bills

were adopted with broad-based bipartisan support. In addition, three

counties in New York and the City of Chicago have restricted the use of BPA

in children's products.

The BPA Act of 2009 takes a responsible approach to protecting public health

from this dangerous chemical: It would ban BPA from all food and beverage

containers regulated by the FDA while allowing the FDA to issue one-year

renewable waivers if a manufacturer can show that no feasible technology

exists to replace BPA in the container they manufacture. The bill would

also modernize the program that allowed BPA to be approved as a packaging

additive in the first place by requiring the FDA to review the list of

substances previously deemed safe for use as packaging additives -- within

one year of enactment and every five years thereafter -- to ensure they are

also free of chemicals linked to cancer, reproductive or developmental harm.

Americans expect our government to safeguard their health - and the health

of their families -- from dangerous chemical exposures, and the BPA Act of

2009 is an important step in that direction. I urge you to co-sponsor and

support the Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009.

Sincerely,

YOUR NAME

YOUR ORGANIZATION

________________________

Thank you for your quick attention to this alert!

The Learning Disabilities Association of America (LDA) is a grassroots,

non-profit organization of 30,000 members including individuals with

learning disabilities, their families, and the professionals who work with

them. Organized in 1963, LDA has 250 state and local affiliates, in 43

States and Puerto Rico.

LDA is dedicated to identifying causes and promoting prevention of learning

disabilities and to enhancing the quality of life for all individuals with

learning disabilities and their families by encouraging effective

identification and intervention, fostering research, and protecting their

rights under the law.

LDA seeks to accomplish this through awareness, advocacy, empowerment,

education, service and collaborative efforts.

News-in-Brief is an email news publication of the

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