BPA Industry Seeking to Clean Up Image - Are They Serious?

Beautiful still morning, birds chirping away.


Fair warning, this is a rant..I couldn't believe the headlines today - BPA Industry Seeks to Polish Image. I thought maybe it was a joke or some silly reporter trying to use a clever title. But this is one of those articles that I read with my jaw hanging down nearly the whole time, in between some expletives and a sips of coffee (Larry's Beans).

My imagination has these corporate guys sitting around in a smoke filled room trying to figure out how to manipulate the public (they did meet in a private DC club) to thinking that BPA isn't so bad. They concluded that their own paid for "science" results weren't working and perhaps more drastic measures needed to be taken.

So they picked on pregnant women to start. These geniuses actually have a vision of a pregnant spokeswoman touting the benefits of all the products with BPA, including canned formula. Mama will also ask you if you want your baby to no longer have access to food. (are you scared yet?) Maybe they'll stick a cigarette in her hand and a beer in the other as her toddler sucks on a polycarbonate bottle. Are these guys fore real?

The poor is the other prey. Tell the world that the poor, Hispanics and Blacks will starve without canned foods. (this is where city gardens come in) Oh, and while they're at it, they'll (the chemical industry) tell the world that cans without BPA will spoil faster and so you may get sick, very,very sick, and maybe die from bacteria. (nail biting, eh?)

Wait, there are more folks they intend to target - Union workers. If Connecticut passes the BPA ban, the gloves are off and you'll be hearing how factory workers will lose their American dream job.

If you've been in the wings about this issue and still consider BPA controversial, then the chemical industry has been doing its job. The science is darn clear about BPA. (see previous blogs about BPA) It is because of the powerful plastics and food industry that it has been able to stay in the "controversial" category. (Fast Company wrote an amazing briefing on BPA) But because of good, independent science, people are making up their own minds, including politicians who are taking steps to protect citizens because the chemical industry is only concerned about making money. And these companies don't like it.

And some of the heavy hitters at this meeting were: "Coca-Cola Co., Alcoa Inc., Crown Holdings Inc., the North American Metal Packaging Alliance Inc., the Grocery Manufacturers Association, Del Monte Corp. and the American Chemistry Council". Need I say more?

You think I'm exaggerating? No, really. I'm not. Read the article: BPA Industry Seeks to Polish Image. We all owe a special thanks to consumer activist reporters who seek this information about what goes on behind the scenes. Without them, we'd all be sucking on cigarettes and downing martinis in our 8th month of pregnancy.