The NCT wants more information to be given to parents about a controversial chemical found in the majority of plastic baby bottles.
Last month scientists in The US raised concerns about Bisphenol A, or BPA, which they say could cause behavioural changes and the early onset of puberty.
Some US retailers have already stopped selling the bottles, while Canada wants a complete ban.
The National Childbirth Trust wants all UK bottles, containing BPA, clearly labelled, however the government says they are safe to use. Belinda Phipps, chief executive of The NCT, said the lack of awareness was "concerning". "As a first step, it is important that bottles and other items that might reach a baby's mouth are labelled in a standard and easy-to-understand way. This will help to remove the risk of Bisphenol A contamination."
In April, the National Toxicology Program, part of the US National Institutes of Health, found that, based on animal experiments, exposure to low-levels of BPA "can cause changes in behaviour and the brain, prostate gland, mammary gland and the age at which females attain puberty". In the US, major chain stores, including Wal-Mart - the word's largest retailer - say they are now going to stop selling bottles made with the chemical. And in the UK, Wal-Mart subsidiary Asda is producing its own BPA-free range. BPA has been around for some time and is widely used in reusable plastic products to prevent them from shattering.
The NCT have advised parents not to pour boiling water directly into a bottle, as this could cause more of the chemical to be released. And it also said that scratched and damaged bottles should be discarded.
The Food Standards Agency and the manufacturers say the amount of the chemical in such products is well below levels considered harmful and the bottles are completely safe to use.
May 2008
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