It's FDA-approved

"THE CHEMICAL in your baby's bottle" unnecessarily alarms parents while underplaying the many safety benefits of polycarbonate plastic. Clear and shatter-resistant polycarbonate, made from BPA, is used in an array of common products such as eyeglass lenses and sports safety equipment, as well as reusable food and beverage containers.

Just last year the FDA released a draft safety assessment that stated: "FDA concludes that an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA at current levels of exposure from food contact uses, for infants and adults." This is consistent with the consensus of regulatory agencies around the world that have reviewed the science supporting the safety of BPA.

The American Chemistry Council and its member companies that manufacture and use BPA are committed to providing products that protect public health and safety, especially when it comes to our children. We have and will continue to develop scientific data to inform credible, transparent scientific assessments of BPA so that the public can have the confidence it deserves in the safety of these products.

Decisions regarding the safety of consumer products should be based on the best available information and solid scientific evaluation, not on emotional discourse.

STEVEN G. HENTGES
Arlington, Va.

The writer is a BPA expert for the American Chemistry Council.