Karen Joy Miller of Huntington, a breast cancer survivor, and Laura Weinberg of Great Neck, have been campaigning for more than a decade to ban chemicals they believe are linked to breast cancer. Their main target has been bisphenol-A or
BPA, a chemical used to manufacture plastics, including baby bottles, sippy cups and pacifiers. Studies have linked BPA to various forms of cancer in adults and developmental issues in children. And while the US Food and Drug Administration has not concluded the cause and effect, they are conducting studies to see how BPA may impact the brain, behavior and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and young children.
For now, Miller and Weinberg’s efforts have led to legislation in New York. Last week Gov. David A. Paterson signed the BPA-Free Children and Babies Act into law, banning the sale of children’s products laced with the compound. That makes NY one of 9 states to bar sales of any product that contains BPA and is aimed at children. That’s good news for parents and others who care for children. But it still means you have to check to be sure the products you or your child care provider use are BPA-free.
