Bisphenol (BPA) is a plastics product found in polycarbonate and is an endocrine disrutor. Polycarbonate is a clear hard plastic that is used in a multitude of products including baby bottles, breast pump equipment and the linings of food cans including formula cans. In April 2008, Health Canada announced that they were taking a number of actions to reduce exposure to BPA focusing on infants and young children.
To read more about BPA check out the Environmental Working group website and their timeline on BPA found athttp://www.ewg.org/reports/bpatimeline as well as http://www.toxicnation.ca/bpaga
Keep in mind that there is alot of conflicting information available on the net - much of it from industry organizations. Check out sites for who are the members or sources of the information!
Health Canada advises...... re informal sharing or buying of human milk
Health Canada has posted a warning about the risks of acquiring human milk through the internet or other casual means. As it is not possible to screen the donor or the milk there are many unknowns which may place the recipient at risk for illness and disease.
Health Canada advises:
There is a potential risk that the milk may be contaminated with viruses such as HIV or bacteria such as Staphylococcus aureus, which can cause food poisoning. In addition, traces of substances such as prescription and non-prescription drugs can be transmitted through human milk. Improper hygiene when extracting the milk, as well as improper storage and handling, could also cause these products to spoil or be contaminated with bacteria and/or viruses that may cause illness.
Health Canada also advices consumers to check with "their health care professional should they have questions about breastfeeding or if they are considering acquiring human milk from another source."
Too bad they didn't refer people to the HMBANA website ( www.hmbana.org) for a safe option for acquiring pasteurized donor milk. HMBANA banks like BC Women's have been handling, processing, screening and distributing donor milk collectively for over 200 hundred years. There has never been a child who became seriously ill from milk received from a HMBANA banks. This is not a claim that artificial baby milk companies can make. Spread the word about the safe sources of donor milk!! We need to ensure health care professionals have the correct information.
Health Canada link