BPA hearings were filled with supporters
This week advocates for children's health testified at two hearings before the Department of Public Health (DPH) about their proposed Bisphenol A (BPA) regulation. Out of the 26 people who testified, 23 testified in support of expanding the regulation and only three were against the regulation.
Supporters came from all over the state to testify before the DPH. Some brought their children. Laura Donnelly gave her testimony in Boston with her youngest child in her lap. He was born with hypospadias, a birth defect in which the opening of the urethra is on the underside of the penis. Hypospadias is linked to early BPA exposure in the womb.
"I'm furious I was not told the canned food I was eating was poisoning my unborn child," Laura said. She then asked the DPH to take BPA out of the entire food supply.
Others talked about their fight with cancer. Margo Golden, a member of the Women's Community Cancer Project who also testified in Boston, explained that the breast cancer rate has tripled in the last few decades, and then personalized that statistic by telling DPH staff about her own breast cancer.
Milagros Guzman, an Environmental Youth Leader for Nuestras Raices who testified in Northampton, said a DPH advisory telling pregnant and breastfeeding women to avoid products that may contain BPA did not reach her or other members of her community. Milagros ate from containers that contain BPA while she was pregnant and fears the effect this may have had on her child.
Only three people testified against the proposed regulation, and all three were connected with the plastics or chemical industries. Bob Rio, lobbyist for the Associated Industries of Massachusetts who testified in Boston, said he worried about the unintended consequences this regulation would have on large industries in the state, but failed to mention that safer alternatives to BPA are available.
Dr. Steve Hentges, lobbyist for the American Chemistry Council who testified in Boston, said that not only was BPA not dangerous, but that any alternatives used might end up being more dangerous. Apparently he's choosing to ignore the hundreds of independently funded studies that have found health impacts of BPA.
The hearing in Northampton was much shorter than the one in Boston, but was only attended by one representative of the chemical industry who did not testify, which created a great feeling of solidarity.
The Northampton hearing was also special because of the event we held before the hearing: we displayed a 20-foot-tall inflatable baby bottle in the center of town (see photo by Bill Ravanesi of Health Care Without Harm)! The gigantic bottle got us a lot of positive attention, including from the press. Check out WWLP's story on the giant baby bottle, including their interview with our own Elizabeth Saunders.
The public comment period will end next Wednesday, June 30, at 5:30 pm. We all need to take advantage of this opportunity to speak out for a safer and healthier Massachusetts. If you have not yet submitted your comment to the DPH please do so now. If you have already submitted a comment, help us reach our goal of 1,000 comments by getting everyone you know in Massachusetts to submit a comment as well.
It was truly inspiring to see so many people take time out of their busy day to fight for better protection from BPA. We here at the Alliance for a Healthy Tomorrow hope this wave of support we have witnessed over the past week inspires you to add your voice, and to ask others to add their voices, to the campaign.
