AVENT in Malaysia: An answer, please!

This morning, I was going to catch up on Malaysian drama, especially as the hot hits are now playing: sex, courtroom drama, international politics…

Instead, I decided to check up on BPA as my friend (thanks so much, BH!) asked me if I’m using Avent since she’s just got some BPA-free bottles. I was like, “What’s BPA?” And until I found out an answer, I can’t sit or think straight.

I’m glad I devoted my time to research this morning because here’s what I found out:

BPA is Bisphenol-A, a chemical to make clear plastic including baby bottles. It’s now known to be hazardous to human health. After my encounter with dioxins, I was stunned to hear that the pump and bottles containing the breastmilk that’s 100% good for the boy is actually bad for him!

The trusted brand of AVENT breastfeeding pump and bottles I’ve been using for the past 2.4 years is rated “POOR” among the brands evaluated for BPA (see Z-report below).

For the record, the cost of AVENT bottles and and teats are as follows:

1. AVENT Airflex Bottle – 4 bottles (260 ml) – RM163 (from Mothercare)  - M40.75 each!
2. AVENT AirFlex Teats – Fast Flow (2 pcs) – RM35 (from Mothercare)

Plus, I’d recommended the AVENT Manual Isis pump and bottles to many of my friends!

Although I’ve tried Medela before, I found the AVENT pump a better performing one, despite the fact that:

a) it can ONLY fit AVENT bottles (not generic-sized bottles)
b) the bottles, teats etc cost a bomb as they are made in the UK

I was *really surprised* at finding out AVENT’s poor ratings but this changed to annoyance when I did a search myself on the Avent website and found NOTHING on BPA or Bisphenol-A. I would have thought they’d at least come out with a media statement like they did in Canada.

When I was back in Malaysia early this year, I was hunting high and low for new teats and bottles and found that AVENT was low on stock. Even their retailers couldn’t explain why!

Incidentally, Avent is now known as Phillps-Avent? One of the retailers showed me that the new bottles no longer had the words “Made in England”. I’m not sure if this is good or bad but I need to find out more about this corporate merger.

What I found is that Philips-Avent has positioned its product line as “Green Products”, which focus on their impact on climate change.

Our Green Products offer customers, users and society a significant environmental improvement in one or more of the Philips Green Focal Areas:

• Energy efficient
• Packaging
• Hazardous substances
• Weight
• Recycling and disposal
• Lifetime reliability

In the US, AVENT is among the plaintiffs named in a class action lawsuit. The paralegal is also inviting other purchases of these brands to come forward.

In US, AVENT bottles can be returned at ToysRUs or BabiesRUs.

In Canada, FREE BPA-free bottles are given to those who dialled the AVENT toll-free line.

HOW ABOUT US IN MALAYSIA???

1. My AVENT bottles DO NOT have a recycling logo OR plastic recycling number, which mean they contain BPA.

2. I have just bought 3 new 9 oz bottles and 6 new teats – with BPA

3. I am hanging on to my AVENT Isis Manual pump to be used for the next baby, which includes 2 5 oz bottles, which I’m guessing, were made with BPA

I can bet that, with the AVENT Isis’ excellent reputation among breastfeeding mothers, many out there have the same thought as I have:

QUESTION: Can we return all these to AVENT in exchange for BPA-free pumps and bottles (if available)?

I have written to the AVENT Corporate Communications’ team and look forward to receiving a response from them soon.

REFERENCES:

Study warns of baby bottle safety (27 February 2007)
The independent laboratory study was conducted in cooperation with the Environment California Research and Policy Center to test whether bisphenol A, a chemical used to make clear plastic for consumer products, including baby bottles, was released into the liquids the bottles contained, Environment California spokeswoman Rachel Gibson said.

The group tested five popular baby bottle brands — Avent, Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, Gerber and Playtex — all five of which leached bisphenol A at levels “found to cause harm in numerous laboratory animal studies,” Gibson said.

According to Gibson, the plastic material in containers breaks down through use and releases bisphenol A into liquids and food..

Bisphenol A has been linked by scientists to cancers, impaired immune function, early onset of puberty, obesity, diabetes and hyperactivity, Gibson said.

Gibson said though San Francisco currently prohibits the use of bisphenol A in toys and child care products for children under 3 years old, her group is calling on California and the federal government to eliminate this and other harmful chemicals from products used by children.

Environment California is also calling for required product manufacturer labeling and reforms in chemical manufacturers’ policies.

The group recommends consumers choose glass or “safer-plastic” baby bottles. In addition, the group advises against heating up food or drinks in plastic containers, and using harsh dishwashing soap and hot water, as these practices can speed up the rate of leaching, according to Gibson.

RECYCLING CODES ON PLASTICS (text from WeeklyWay):

#1 & #2 – Most water, soda, juice, milk, and shampoo and soap bottles are made with PET or HDPE plastics. They are widely recyclable and safe as long as they are not reused.

#3 – Vinyl or PVC – Potentially hazardous – they can leach plasticizers and lead. They are also not recyclable.

#4 & #5 – Safe and recyclable – many food storage containers and plastic wraps are made from these two types of plastic.

#6 – Polystyrene – more commonly known by the brand name, Styrofoam. While polystyrene is technically recyclable, it is difficult to recycle and due to its light weight many curbside recycling programs do not accept it. Polystyrene is also potentially hazardous, as it can leach styrene, a known carcinogen.

#7 – PC/PA #7 is the catch-all for the types of plastic that do not fall into the previous 6 categories. Products in this category range from polycarbonate (PC), which is non-biodegradable and potentially hazardous, to the safe and compostable polylactide(PA), which is made from plant materials like corn, and used to produce products like plates, bags, and bottles.

Z Report (3rd edition) on BPA in children’s feeding products

Click on any company name in the listings below to find the BPA status of all children’s feeding products they currently manufacture, as well as recently discontinued items.

Here are some brands you may be familiar with, and their ratings:

“Excellent”
- provide attractive, functional products in at least two product categories or exceptional design in one category, with all mouth-contact products being exclusively BPA-free
- Combi, Medela, Thermos, thinkbaby

“Good”
- provide predominantly BPA-free mouth-contact products and offer at least one recently-designed BPA-free item in each product area they serve.
- IKEA, Tupperware

“Fair”
- may provide excellent products in some categories but produce products in other categories while offering no quality non-polycarbonate option.
- Dr. Brown’s, Evenflo, MAM, Munchkin, Nuby, Playtex, Rubbermaid, The First Years, Tommee Tippee

“Poor”
- demonstrate an unwillingness to acknowledge the legitimacy of consumers’ concerns about Bisphenol-A and/or offer few or no BPA-free products
- AVENT, Ameda

Biphenol-A (BPA) free.org – videos, news and updates on the fight for BPA-free products

Bisphenol-A is a hormone-disrupting chemical considered to be potentially harmful to human health and the environment. It has been known that scratched and worn polycarbonate feeding bottles will leach this chemical into liquids.

Similar Posts:

• AVENT’s media statement on BPA
• No AVENT BPA-free bottles in Malaysia
• Another email from AVENT on BPA-free bottles
• REVIEW: MAM Anti-colic bottle
• BPA-free bottles: AVENT answers email