On Thursday, January 24, 2010 the Board of Environmental Protection of Maine, US voted unanimously to ban bisphenol A (BPA) from infant food packaging. The decision of the Board of Environmental Protection was based on a memo, which was circulated in early January and will now be passed on to the Legislature.

The FDA had previously banned BPA nationwide from sippy cups and baby bottles. In 2011 Maine had also banned BPA from reusable containers, beverage containers and lids, but that measured had been designed for children of the age of 4 and older. The 2011 regulation was based on a report by the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC). 

The present measure now addresses cans and lids of jars containing food intended for children under the age of 3, but does not include any other food containers.

Currently, BPA is used to make the anti-corrosive lining of cans and jar lids. It is also a starting substance in the manufacture of poly carbonate (PC) containers. In the case of food intended for infants, the above mentioned memo suggests replacing the epoxy resin lining of cans with polypropylene, polyethylene, polystyrene or tritan copolyester alternatives. Alternatives to BPA were identified in a report (pdf) commissioned by the environmental agency in Maine. In the lids of jars, the memo proposes polyester, polyethylene terephthalate film, or corn based isosorbide diglycidyl ether liners as a substitute for BPA based epoxy resins. Alternatively, the memo says, baby food jars may be entirely replaced with PET jars. 

Read more

Board of Environmental Protection of Maine, US (Chapter 882)

Portland Press Herald

Food Production Daily

Testimony Report by Jen Sass (NRDC) to the Maine Legislature

Alternatives analysis report for bisphenol A in infant formula cans and baby food jar lids 

Share