Suffolk County, New York enacted the nation’s first Bisphenol-A (BPA) ban on Tuesday when it voted to ban BPA from bottles for children 3 and under.

Found in clear plastics like baby and sports bottles, BPA has been potentially linked to scores of adverse health effects, including cancer, heart disease, and variations in anogenital distance (which we looked up: gross). The effects are thought to be more severe in young children.

Whether BPA is harmful, and how so, is contested by chemical groups and the FDA, which recently declared the chemical safe. On the other side, consumer groups (like us!), women’s health groups, and another government body, the National Toxicology Program, have argued that the potential harm is severe and more studies are needed. In the meantime, we probably shouldn’t be letting this potentially dangerous chemical near our children.

Canada banned BPA from children’s products last year, and Chicago is considering a ban. The House and Senate both had legislation last year that partially ban BPA.

(Photo: fallenposters)

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