Hitting the Bottle
Since last week was full of celebrations in honor of Memorial Day, and the “unofficial beginning of summer” (although you’d never know it from where I’m sitting; it hailed this morning), you might have missed another cause for celebration: The passage of AB 1319 last week by the California State Assembly. The bill, once passed through the Senate and signed by the Governor, would limit the amount of BPA allowed to be used in containers marketed for use by children under age three.
While this is indeed a cause for celebration, it might be a bit premature to break out the good bubbly. The bill just squeaked through the Assembly and now must make its way through the gauntlet of the Senate, where we suspect, it may encounter a fair amount of push-back.
To put this minor victory into perspective, nine other states have already banned BPA and Canada has declared BPA inherently toxic. For even more perspective, that’s the same Canada that was recently skewered on The Daily Show with Jon Stewart for its shameless (and shameful!) promotion of the town of Asbestos and its namesake toxin.
While the Assembly’s passage of AB 1319 certainly represents progress toward eliminating children’s exposure to a known endocrine disruptor, there is still work left to do. We need to ensure that the California Senate follows suit and that the Governor signs the bill into law.
For those of you in California, you can help by reviewing your legislator’s past voting record on a bill similar to AB 1319, and proactively contacting him or her to voice your support for a ban on BPA. We’ll be sure to let you know when— and how—we need you to take action to help get this bill through the Senate and onto the Governor’s desk. Stay tuned.