Chicago becomes first city to ban BPA bottles, cups

Chicago on Wednesday became the first city in the nation to ban baby bottles and sippy cups containing the potentially-harmful chemical bisphenol A. Tests of laboratory animals have linked the chemical, widely-known as BPA, to breast cancer, prostate cancer, diabetes and neurological disorders. Ald. Manny Flores (1st) said the City Council moved to fill a consumer protection void created when the U.S. Food and Drug Administration concluded there is no harm from the low doses of BPA that come from eating foods from containers made with the chemical. "The FDA has dropped the ball. They've been wishy-washy at best and, at worst, they're playing hanky-panky with the [plastics] industry," Flores said. Noting that the FDA cracked down on the cholesterol-reducing claims made by Cheerios, Flores said, "What's wrong with this picture?' They're worried about Cheerios. Yet, when they had an opportunity to take action on a toxic chemical used [in the cereal bowl], they're not doing anything about it." Despite stiff penalties for retailers that ignore the Jan. 31 ban, Mayor Daley described the impact as largely symbolic. "It just sends a message out," he said. "Companies are not gonna violate it. They're ... worried about ... the effect it can have on children [at] early ages." Last year, Flores and Ald. Edward M. Burke (14th) got nowhere with a more sweeping version that would have banned nearly all products made with BPA used by children under the age of 7. The softer version approved Wednesday narrows the ban to "any empty bottle or cup specifically designed to be filled with food or liquid to be used primarily by a child under the age of 3." Former Ald. Terry Gabinski (32nd), one of Burke's closest friends, is a registered lobbyist for the American Chemistry Council. The group has publicly lobbied against the ban and behind-the-scenes for a softer version of it. Retailers that continue to sell targeted BPA products would risk having their licenses suspended or revoked. They would also face hefty fines ranging from $100- to $300-a-day for the first offense to $300 to $500 for repeat offenses. Stores would also be required to post signs alerting consumers that items are BPA-free.