Legislation includes provisions to protect men and women who work in factories where food containers are made and packed

Washington (September 28, 2016) – Senator Edward J. Markey (D-Mass.) and Congresswoman Grace Meng (D-N.Y.) today introduced legislation to ban the dangerous chemical bispenol-A, commonly referred to as BPA, from food and beverage containers. Specifically, the “Ban Poisonous Additives (BPA) Act” requires that reusable food and beverage containers (such as Thermoses) that contain BPA and other food and beverage containers (such as food or beverage cans) containing BPA cannot be sold. BPA, a toxic chemical used to harden plastics and found in such everyday household products as canned foods and beverages, has been linked to breast cancer, infertility, early puberty and other health conditions.

“Doctors, researchers and parents all know that BPA is toxic for our bodies, especially for vulnerable groups such as infants and young children and workers,” said Senator Markey. “It’s time to take the concern out of canned goods by taking the BPA out of food and beverage containers. The Ban Poisonous Additives Act will help ensure that our factories and our entire food supply are free from this damaging chemical. I thank Rep. Meng for her partnership on this legislation and for standing up to say that it’s time to ban BPA and move to safer alternatives.”

“Banning BPA from food and beverage containers is common sense,” said Congresswoman Meng. “As a founder and Co-Chair of the Kids Safety Caucus, it has been a priority of mine to help keep children out of harm’s way, and this bill would ensure that kids and families are not exposed to such a dangerous and toxic substance. It would also better protect factory workers who manufacture products that contain this hazardous chemical. I respectfully call on my colleagues in the House and Senate to pass this important legislation, and I thank Senator Markey for partnering with me on this critical effort.”

A copy of the Ban Poisonous Additives (BPA) Act can be found HERE.

“We commend Senator Markey and Representative Meng for their tireless efforts to secure stricter FDA regulation of the toxic chemicals used in food packaging that are contributing to an increased risk of breast cancer, reproductive harm and a host of other diseases,” said Janet Nudelman, Director of Program and Policy at the Breast Cancer Fund, one of the bill’s key supporters. “Parents, workers, and consumers everywhere applaud their unwavering leadership and commitment to ridding food packaging of BPA once and for all.”

In 2013, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) amended its regulations to no longer allow the use of BPA in infant formula packaging due to a petition from Senator Markey. In 2012, then-Rep. Markey was the first member of Congress to ever submit this type of petition, which requested that the FDA permanently remove regulatory approval for the use of BPA in infant formula packaging.