Sweden Bans BPA in Food Packaging for Kids
Sweden has banned the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging intended
for children younger than age 3. Mainly affecting the lids of baby food jars, the
April 13, 2012, edict also gave the Swedish Chemicals Agency three months
to investigate whether the chemical should be prohibited in certain types of
thermal paper, such as tickets and receipts, and other relevant agencies the
opportunity to determine the extent of its use in drinking-water pipes, toys
and other children’s goods.
Minister for the Environment Lena Ek, who said she plans to raise the BPA issue soon with the European Commission and European Union (EU) member states, noted that the ban ensures that the country’s current voluntary phaseout of BPA-free packaging becomes permanent. “As a matter of caution, we are now acting in all areas that the agencies believe play a significant role in the exposure of young children,” she said. “The EU should take more far-reaching initiatives than today to limit children’s exposure to bisphenol A and other known endocrine disruptors.” See Sweden Ministry of the Environment Press Release, April 13, 2012.
