Laboratory tests by Environmental Defense last month discovered bisphenal A (BPA) in half of the tested infant pacifiers. This finding has provoked significant concern among parents and pediatric health professionals. What the findings reveal is pretty shocking. As a result, European Union regulations have banned BPA in baby bottles since 2011 and extended that ban in 2018 to include containers of food and beverages and bottles intended for children under three years of age.
The testing found significant amounts of BPA in items from well-known manufacturers such as Philips, Curaprox and Sophie la Girafe. BPA, which has been linked to low sperm count, obesity, and prostate and breast cancer. The findings point to an egregious failure of the safety regulatory framework surrounding products made for our most vulnerable—infants.
Overall, Curaprox’s “baby grow with love soother” had the highest concentration of BPA tested among products. This alarming discovery prompted Curaden, the manufacturer of Curaprox, to proactively withdraw affected batches from the market and offer refunds to concerned customers.
In a second example, Sophie la Girafe’s pacifier contained 19 micrograms per kilogram (µg/kg) of BPA. The “natural rubber” version fared no better, leaching high levels of the chemical. Philips Avent’s ultra air soother had the lowest concentration of 2 µg/kg. In the same way, a pacifier ordered through Temu and made by Foshan City Saidah also contained this concentration.
The European limit for BPA migration from baby dummies is 10 µg/l. This standard was developed under EN 1400. In addition, under the European Toy Safety Directive, a migration limit of 40 µg/l for BPA is acceptable. The levels found in a few of these products are concerning, as the levels detected surpass safe thresholds.
“Pacifiers are often one of the first items parents buy, and they do not expect to be exposing their children to hormone-disrupting chemicals from day one.” – Hana Hoffmannová
In an effort to address these revelations, Philips has reiterated their dedication to safety and compliance. A spokesperson stated, “We want to reassure our soother ranges are BPA-free throughout the entire manufacturing process, and we regularly conduct randomized tests and other quality controls to meet regulatory requirements to check and confirm this.”
Additionally, the spokesperson noted the company’s proactive measures: “Following news about the Philips Avent SCF085/60 soother, we have checked our results and conducted further tests with DEKRA, the world’s largest independent testing, inspection and certification expert organization. The tests reconfirm that our soother ranges contain no measurable BPA. This applies to the samples tested, reassuring consumers that products are in fact BPA-free.
Meanwhile, Vulli, the maker of Sophie la Girafe, attempted to downplay the significance of the BPA levels detected in their products. Yet a spokesperson pointed out that the reporting level of 3 µg/kg is “well below” the detection threshold of their testing labs. They announced the decision as a “non-worthy.” They added, “In any case, all our products are subject to exclusive [BPA] testing before being marketed, carried out by an accredited laboratory [SGS].”
The results from Curaden’s NPD about their baby grow with love soother came as a shock to the company. A representative remarked on their decision to act swiftly: “Out of an abundance of caution and in line with our commitment to quality, Curaden immediately decided to proactively remove the soothers [from affected batches] from the market and to offer refunds to all affected customers.”
These disclosures have raised questions about the safety of products that are regularly placed in direct contact with infants. Consumer advocates and pediatricians alike stress the need for high levels of testing and enforcement of safety standards for children’s products.