BPA Baby Bottle Ban Passes WA State Senate

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The Washington state Senate approved a bill Friday to limit the sale of products made with the chemical BPA. 

It would apply to baby bottles, sippy cups and other children's food and drink containers. 

Studies of Bisphenol-A say it increases the risk of cancer, heart disease and diabetes, among other health problems. Chantal Anderson reports.

Versions of the BPA ban have now passed the House and Senate. Ivy Sager-Rosenthal of the Washington Toxics Coalition says the Food and Drug Administration played a part in the passage of both bills.

Ivy Sager-Rosenthal: "The FDA recently just recently reversed their previous opinion and said that BPA is a concern especially for kids, fetuses and infants. That decision has really given the bills here in Washington state forward momentum."

This won't be the first time Washington has been in the forefront of regulating chemicals found in children's products.

In 2008, Washington enacted the nation's strictest standards on children's toys containing the chemical Phthalates.Like BPA studies have shown this chemical disrupts hormones, particularly in young children.

Even so, the BPA measure has some Republican lawmakers wondering if Democrats are turning Washington into a nanny state.

Republican Pam Roach made her case against the bill on the floor of the Senate.

Pam Roach:"They're really stopping the production of sippy cups. As a grandmother of 13, I have lots of sippy cups in my cupboard. And if any of you want them, the price has just gone up."

House and Senate versions of this bill differ on whether to include sports drinking bottles. Lawmakers say they'll work out a compromise before they send BPA limits to the governor. She's expected to sign the bill.

Meanwhile the Oregon legislature plans to consider a similar ban on certain BPA products.