Oregon Senate passes BPA-Free Baby Bill
For immediate release: April 7, 2011
Contact: Toby Van Fleet, OLCV Communications Director,
503-224-4011, toby@olcv.org
Oregon Senate passes BPA-Free Baby Bill
As Senate Bill 695 heads to the House, Oregon’s children are one step closer to protection from toxic Bisphenol A
SALEM—The Oregon Senate today passed Senate Bill 695, which protects Oregon’s children from toxic Bisphenol A (BPA). Bisphenol A disrupts children's brain development and is linked to chronic health problems like diabetes and breast cancer. The vote was 20-9.
The chief sponsors of the bipartisan bill are Senators Brian Boquist (R-Dallas) and Jackie Dingfelder (D-Portland), with Senate Majority Leader Diane Rosenbaum (D-Portland) and Senators Jason Atkinson (R-Central Point) and Chris Edwards (D-Eugene) co-sponsoring.
"I am proud to be on this bill because it is bipartisan," said Senator Atkinson. "This is something you want for every child and it is certainly a wonderful opportunity to help parents keep their kids safe, regardless of where they live."
The BPA-Free Baby Bill prohibits the sale or manufacture of food and beverage containers containing toxic BPA intended for children under three, such as baby bottles, sippy cups, and WIC-approved infant formula cans, as well as the sale of sports water bottles containing BPA. The bill also spurs creation of a standard BPA-free product label, and requires replacing BPA with less toxic chemicals.
“Study after study links BPA to serious health problems and we know that BPA leeches out of the baby bottles and sippy cups our children drink from every day,” said Renee Hackenmiller-Paradis, Environmental Health Program Director at the Oregon Environmental Council, the lead group working to pass the bill. “We can’t wait for federal action on this. Nine other states have already passed similar legislation; Oregon can be the next.”
The BPA-Free Baby Bill is one of the Oregon Conservation Network’s six priorities for the 2011 session. OCN is a coalition of more than 50 of Oregon’s leading conservation groups from around the state—coordinated by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters—who work together to pass pro-environment laws in the Legislature. (For more information on the Priorities for a Healthy Oregon, visit www.oregonpriorities.org.
“Oregonians around the state want to protect their children from the harmful effects of toxic chemicals. Legislators get that,” said Jon Isaacs, Executive Director of the Oregon League of Conservation Voters. “We are proud to be working with a bipartisan coalition on this important bill.”
A narrower version of Senate Bill 695 died on the Senate floor in a 15-15 vote during the short February 2010 session. This bill now heads to the House for a vote.
The Oregon League of Conservation Voters works to pass pro-environment laws, elect pro-environment candidates, and hold all of our elected officials accountable. www.olcv.org
OCN is coordinated by the Oregon League of Conservation Voters and powered by the tens of thousands of Oregonians who belong to OCN’s member organizations. www.oregonpriorities.com
1000 Friends of Oregon | American Rivers | Associated Oregon Recyclers | Audubon Society of Corvallis | Audubon Society of Portland | Bicycle Transportation Alliance | Central Oregon Landwatch | Citizens Utility Board of Oregon | Climate Solutions | Columbia Riverkeeper | Conservation Leaders Network | Defenders of Wildlife | Environment Oregon | Fair and Clean Energy Coalition | Friends of Mount Hood | Friends of the Columbia Gorge | Kalmiopsis Audubon Society | League of Women Voters of Oregon | Lane County Audubon Society | National Wildlife Federation | Oceana | OPAL | Oregon Citizens for Safe Drinking Water | Oregon Environmental Council | Oregon Natural Desert Association | Oregon Shores Conservation Coalition | Oregon Toxics Alliance | Pew Charitable Trust | Recycling Advocates | Renewable Northwest Project | Rogue Valley Audubon Society | Sierra Club Oregon Chapter | Oregon Surfrider | Trout Unlimited | Trust for Public Land | Tualatin Riverkeepers | Umpqua Valley Audubon Society | Upstream Public Health | WaterWatch of Oregon | Wild Salmon Center | The Wilderness Society | Willamette Riverkeeper
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