Will Gov. Paul LePage Let Maine Residents Be Poisoned by BPA?

Toxic chemicals found in baby bottles aren't usually fodder for comedic material. Unless, of course, you happen to be Maine's Governor, Paul LePage.

Last week, LePage blithely dismissed the dangers of bisphenol-A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical found in everything from cash register receipts to canned foods to baby bottles. LePage claimed that he hasn't seen enough scientific evidence to support a ban on BPA in Maine. The governor then went on to callously joke that the only bad thing about BPA is that it might give women "little beards." Hilarious showstopper, right?

Wrong. BPA is no joke. Beyond being patently unfunny and inaccurate about the serious effects of BPA, LePage's comments reveal that he is determined to repeal Maine's recently passed ban on BPA. Even more concerning is the fact that his efforts may be motivated by pressure from lobbyists in the chemical industry and other notorious, out-of-state corporations.

Despite LePage's claims to the contrary, there exists a long and ever-increasing number of scientific studies linking BPA with reproductive problems, learning disabilities, breast and prostate cancer, early puberty in girls, diabetes, obesity, and a laundry list of other health issues. (You'll notice that "little beards" is not on the list.) The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services (HHS), Food and Drug Administration (FDA), Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), and the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention have all cautioned against the use of BPA in consumer products, especially those used by infants and developing children.

Yet LePage maintains his dangerous anti-regulatory stance, claiming that: “There hasn’t been any science that identifies that there is a problem.” So, in addition to his comedic attempts, LePage apparently fancies himself a magician, attempting to make mountains of scientific evidence about the dangers of BPA simply disappear. And with a corporate-influenced sleight of hand, LePage intends to roll back established consumer protections.

In 2008, with overwhelming bipartisan support, Maine passed the Kid-Safe Products Law, legislation designed to remove the most dangerous chemicals from everyday products that threaten children's health. Following extensive study by state toxicologists, BPA was selected as the first "chemical of high concern" under the new review process. After a public hearing in 2010, the Maine Board of Environmental Protection voted to ban BPA from reusable food and beverage containers (including baby bottles, sippy cups, and water bottles) beginning in 2012. But now Governor LePage has proposed rolling back the Kid-Safe Products Law and the BPA rule. In doing so, LePage risks the health and safety of Maine's children and families. And the evidence continues to mount that LePage is not acting alone.

Following his election last year, LePage announced a "wish list" of health and environmental regulations he planned to eliminate in the interest of "small business owners in Maine." Yet no companies in Maine have demanded that they be allowed to use BPA in baby products manufactured in the state or that the ban would hurt jobs in Maine. Instead, LePage's list of rollbacks was developed by Ann Robinson, the governor's head advisor on regulatory reform, who also happens to be the head of the corporate lobbying group, Preti Flaherty Beliveau & Pachios. Robinson's clients have included the pharmaceutical companies PhRMA, Merck, and the Toy Industry Association of America, all of whom would stand to benefit from eliminating Maine's BPA ban. And if that wasn't enough industry pressure, LePage also hired Patricia Aho, a lobbyist with the law firm Pierce Atwood, where she has worked with American Petroleum and drug makers who have previously tried to defeat Maine's Kid-Safe Products Law. Questions have also been raised about LePage's recent dismissal of Dora Anne Mills, the former head of the Maine Center for Disease Control and Prevention, who last year testified that BPA should be the first chemical banned from children's products under the new law.

All joking aside, LePage's dismissal of the dangers of BPA and his intentions to roll back Maine's ban on the hormone-disrupting chemical appear to be motivated by out-of-state industry pressures, not from any concern for the health of Maine's residents or economy. By favoring corporate interests and ignoring enormous scientific consensus about the hazards of BPA, Gov. LePage places the health and safety of Maine's children at risk. Maine's ban on BPA still awaits legislative approval by Maine's Environment and Natural Resource Committee , scheduled for later this month. Tell Maine's Environment and Natural Resource Committee to ignore Gov. LePage's comments, and keep toxic BPA out of baby products.

Photo Credit: Lars Ploughmann via Flickr