The Food and Drug Administration's decision, at the urging of
the American chemical industry, to ban a controversial plastic
from infant products is a welcome step. But the agency and the
industry need to also address growing concerns about the
potential health effects of the substance in other food
packaging. The federal government this week said that baby
bottles, sippy cups and other plastic products used to store or
deliver food to infants can't use bisphenol A, or BPA. The
chemical, which is used to harden plastic products and for other
uses, has been phased out by baby bottle manufacturers in this
country because of public concerns about its potential health
effects. Numerous studies have shown that BPA interferes with
the reproductive and nervous system of rodents and other
animals. But there's controversy as to its potential effects in
humans. Some scientists have maintained that BPA affects babies
and young children. The FDA, however, has said that the findings
on the animal studies can't be applied