Earlier this week, Healthy Child Healthy World, together with the Breast Cancer Fund, issued a press release to break the news that Campbell’s announced at a February shareholder meeting that it had already started to move away from BPA in its cans. The news has gone viral, with stories in more than 30 media outlets! And the hits keep rolling in.
We’re hoping the interest in this story will raise awareness about BPA’s health risks as the Food & Drug Administration prepares to issue its decision whether to ban or regulate the chemical by the end of this month.
Campbell’s is an iconic soup manufacturer, as well as our number one target for consumer action; nearly 20,000 Healthy Child supporters have signed a petition to Campbell’s CEO demanding that their products made for children be made in BPA-free cans. Another 70,000 people sent letters to Campbell’s CEO by supporters of the Breast Cancer Fund’s Cans Not Cancer campaign.
Healthy Child Healthy World is concerned about the use of BPA because exposure to the chemical, used to make the epoxy-resin linings of metal food cans, has been linked in lab studies to breast and prostate cancer, infertility, early puberty in girls, type-2 diabetes, obesity and attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. Childhood exposure is of concern because this endocrine-disrupting chemical can affect children’s hormonal systems during development and set the stage for later‐life diseases.
We know that parents want to be sure when they serve Campbell’s Soup to their kids that it is free of toxic chemicals that contribute to disease. And there is still work to be done. Campbell’s has yet to release any details on which products currently contain BPA alternatives, which BPA alternatives are being and will be used, and what timeline they will use for completion of the phase-out.
We'll share updates with our community first, so please forward this link to our newsletter sign up to other parents who might want to get involved.
I commend Campbell’s for taking this first step—as well as the concerned parents and consumers who made their voices heard in the boardroom and at the checkout counter. Thank you!
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A sampling of stories about Campbell’s move away from BPA:
- Forbes, Responding to Consumer Concern, Campbell's Goes BPA-Free
- TreeHugger, Campbell's Says It's Heading BPA-Free
- Milwaukee Journal Sentinel, Campbell's to end use of BPA in can linings
- Rodale, Campbell's Soup: We're Taking BPA Out of Our Cans
- GreenBiz, Campbell's to stop using BPA in soup cans
Read more: http://healthychild.org/blog/comments/030812_campbells_set_to_phase_out_bpa/#ixzz1ooaBPXtX
