Six Southern California families have filed separate consumer fraud class-action lawsuits against six different manufacturers of baby formula and baby bottles containing Bisphenol A or BPA, a synthetic estrogen used as an ingredient in polycarbonate plastic. BPA, the most widely used synthetic chemical in the plastic’s industry, has come under scrutiny in recent months after studies linked it to potential health problems in humans and animals. Various medical studies and published papers link BPA exposure to a wide variety of health problems, including hormone disruptions, infertility, early puberty, and even cancer. However, the Federal Food and Drug Administration and the European Food Safety Authority have officially declared that BPA is safe for use in plastic food containers.

Regardless, recent studies show that washing baby bottles in hot water and boiling or micro-waving liquid baby formula can activate the release of BPA into the liquid. In addition, cans of liquid baby formula that contain BPA pose an even more significant risk, as the BPA may seep into the formula after prolonged contact. The lawsuits target the companies Avent America, Abbot Laboratories, Evenflo, Gerber, Handi-Craft, and Mead Johnson, and state that the aforementioned manufacturers engaged in unfair, unlawful and fraudulent business practices through false and deceptive advertising and selling products containing BPA that they new to be unsafe. According to the lawsuits, the companies disregarded the potential risks associated with BPA and continued to sell, promote, market and distribute the BPA containing products. Amid the controversy, several baby supply stores have been allowing parents to exchange BPA-containing bottles for BPA free bottles. According to company spokeswoman Jennifer Albano, the baby supply franchise Babies R Us hopes to phase out BPA bottles by the end of the year.