“Child was sucking his paci normally and middle of nowhere the BIBS paci the top fell off.

The child could’ve chas vishalom choked on it if he was in middle of his sleep. The top of the paci was totally new and not big and bubbly (that happens when they worn out) however that was NOT the case. It’s extremely dangerous.. moms and morahs should be aware of this company pacis.”

Green Planet Ethics Report: Pacifiers With BPA Cause Numerous Serious Health & Safety Risks

BPA Implications and Concerns

BPA leaches out of the polycarbonate plastics when the plastic is heated or damaged. Washing  in the dishwasher or sterilizing them with hot water which can cause the BPA to leach out. Damage can certainly occur in a pacifier; small children are rough on such items, and chewing can, according to a leading manufacturer of pacifiers, cause the BPA to leach out. It can then potentially be absorbed by ingestion or through the skin and/or mucus membranes. Now that the EPA hasn’t ruled yet on banning this substance causes me real concern. What motivates these individuals, oh yes, I forgot, money and big corporations. The ethics of BPA is plain and simple, that it should be removed from all plastics, period, because it is the right thing to do. But the ethics of BPA on Capitol Hill is skewed and coming from our fearless leaders. Stuff their pockets enough cash and you can get away with anything, literally I imagine.

Another point that we touch on is can we recycle pacifiers? The answer is yes, we can recycle them at your local recycling center. I wouldn’t recycle them into other things, like decorations or ornaments if they contain BPA. Those might require going to a toxic waste dump after the FDA finally comes down on these clowns, but I would imagine the recycling process would eliminate the BPA, at least out of the plastic, but who knows where it goes from there? Probably our water, the vicious cycle of bad ideas and no foresight whatsoever.

BPA – Serious Health Considerations

Current studies have shown that BPA is implicated in hormonal problems in the human body. The fact is BPA acts as an estrogen in the body, with the potential to cause hormonal imbalances, which include decreased sperm production and the early onset of puberty. Excessive estrogen or estrogen dominance in the body is implicated in breast cancer and of major concern to women. What does this mean for our babies and children?

-It can cause aggressive behavior in toddlers has been linked to BPA exposure in a University of North Carolina study.

-It may be a carcinogen, cancer is a major concern with BPA. The chemical causes precancerous conditions in laboratory animals.

-The early onset of puberty may seem distant when you look at your baby, but it is prenatal and neonatal exposure that is implicated in later hormonal problems. It is shown that BPA affects the health and integrity of reproductive organs as well.

-It may be associated with heart disease and diabetes, whcih, in a British study, were implicated in BPA exposure. Those participants in the study who had these diseases were found to have higher concentrations (by as many as three times) more BPA in their systems as those who did not have these diseases.

-Autism may be linked to BPA exposure as well, even if a baby is exposed while still in the womb.

-The immune system may be adversely affected by BPA.

BPA Alternatives

There are BPA-free pacifiers available. Silicone is a popular material for pacifiers, as is latex. Silicone is a better choice being less likely to incite an allergic response, however. The following manufacturers make BPA-free versions of their pacifiers:

• Gerber
• Playtex
• BornFree
• Evenflo
• Natursutten Natural Rubber Rounded Pacifier – 3-6m
• BIBS

These products should be labeled BPA-free. If you have any doubt, contact the manufacturer and find out what kinds of pacifiers they make that are free of BPA. For yourself and others, when you are purchasing plastic to go beverage containers, those are also coming out with some BPA free versions. Also food containers, such as plastic containers for your food are coming out with BPA free containers.

Message from BIBS: Caution! We often receive inquiries from parents who have followed the National Board of Health’s recommendation to cook the pacifier for 5 minutes before first use and daily afterwards. The result is broken pacifiers. DO NOT COOK. They are not meant to be boiled and are therefore destroyed by the high heat.”

The nipple is made from Silicone rubber which can easily detach from the base, which is BIBS claims is BPA free. The product is made in Denmark. Recently, a Denmark company marketing nipples of the same type of construction recalled more than 333,000 Denmark pacifiers due to the silicone nipple detaching from the plastic shield.