China bans BPA in baby bottles
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A baby holds a feeding bottle on Tuesday in a supermarket in Linfen, Shandong province. |
In a notice published Monday on its website, China's Ministry of Health (MOH), along with five other departments, announced that starting June 1, the production of nursing bottles containing BPA will be prohibited, and that their sale and import will be banned from September 1.
Agencies of quality and technology supervision at all levels should withdraw and cancel the certificates of polycarbonate baby bottle producers, said the General Administration of Quality Supervision, Inspection and Quarantine (AQSIQ).
Baby bottle producers should recall the products made of polycarbonate or containing Bisphenol A in line with the ban and are not allowed to use recalled products to make plastic packages, containers and tools.
BPA is a monomer used to make polycarbonate plastic and other materials. It is widely used around the world for making baby feeders, water jugs and plastic dishware, as it makes them bright and durable.
Traces of BPA can be released from plastic containers into the food they carry if these containers are heated at high temperatures. They may lead to early sexual development of children and could cause cancer, according to health experts.
On the other hand, the ban could put some shop owners in a dilemma on how to offload their remaining products before the deadline falls in three months.
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