Connecticut has become the first state to ban the toxic chemical bisphenol A(BPA) from infant formulas and foods, after lawmakers passed the bill on Thursday.
The legislation, which was signed into law by Governor M. Jodi Rell, and will not take effect until October 1, 2011, makes it illegal to sell products with BPA.
BPA is a hormone found in many common household products. When it is heated, BPA can leak out and contaminate food and beverages. Low doses of BPA have been linked to heart disease, cancer, neurological impairments, and reproductive problems.
The bill was championed by State Representative Beth Bye and the Clean Water Action coordinated the effort that backed the bill.
This follows legislation already passed in Canada, Minnesota, Suffolk County in New York, and Chicago to ban BPA from baby bottles
"Connecticut's landmark BPA bill will reduce exposure to an unnecessary hormone disruptor, and provide much needed protection for infants and toddlers," said Bye in a released statement.
Similar legislation to ban BPA is now pending in California, Michigan and New York.
