BPA regulation proposed

The Agriculture Committee heard testimony Feb. 11 on a bill that would regulate Bisphenol A – commonly called BPA – in Nebraska.

LB696, introduced by Malcolm Sen. Ken Haar, would prohibit the manufacture, sale or distribution of a reusable food container containing BPA as of Jan. 1, 2015.

Beginning January 1, 2016, BPA would be prohibited in food packaging for foods consumed by or marketed to children under 12 years old and food packaging containing BPA would have been required to carry the following warning: This package contains Bisphenol A, a chemical that may harm fetal development, which can leach into the food.

The state Department of Environmental Quality would be responsible for enforcing the ban and violators would be subject to a civil penalty of $10,000.

Haar said the federal government already bans BPA in baby bottles, sippy cups and baby formula containers out of concern for the chemical’s toxic effects. Nebraska should consider extending those protections to older children by clearly labeling products that contain BPA, he said.

“The purpose of this bill is to protect children,” Haar said.

Bob Rauner of the Nebraska Medical Association testified in support of the bill. Consumers should know what products contain BPA, he said, so they can weigh the evidence and make choices for their families.

“I think it definitely should be labeled because there is enough of a concern,” Rauner said.

April Segura also testified in support, saying research shows that BPA creates a number of negative effects on fetuses and newborns.

“Consumers should know if products are made with this harmful chemical,” Seguara said. “Not all of the effects of BPA are known but why should we have our children be the lab rats?”

Mick Mines, representing the Nebraska Grocery Industry Association, testified in opposition to the bill. He said the labeling required in LB696 would convey a threat to human health from BPA that research does not support.

Mines said a child would have to consume 527 servings of chicken soup per day to ingest BPA in excess of the level considered safe.

“Based on research, BPA in products is not toxic, even to children,” he said.

Ron Sedlacek of the Nebraska Chamber of Commerce also opposed the bill. If Nebraska were the only state in the country with additional BPA labeling laws it would adversely affect commerce, he said.

“We feel that this is truly more of a national issue,” Sedlacek said.

LB696 was indefinitely postponed by the committee.