California Legislation

The Breast Cancer Fund is a proud leader in chemical and environmental policy reform. Through groundbreaking legislation, we aim to protect the health of people and our environment. Because successful policy efforts in California often serve as a model for the nation, we have incubated laws in that state and then helped other states craft similar laws. The Breast Cancer Fund offers ongoing support, testifies at legislative hearings and provides a Legislative Toolkit to guide states through the process of creating change for their communities.

Current Efforts

Calif. Assembly Fails to Ban Bisphenol from Kids' Food Containers

The Breast Cancer Fund has worked throughout 2009 with Sen. Fran Pavley to ban the use of BPA in baby bottles, sippy cups, formula containers and baby food containers in California. Unfortunately, the California Assembly failed to pass the bill, SB 797, on September 11, 2009. However, it may be taken up again by the Assembly in the 2010 legislative session.

There was great support for the bill from the public. The ban was supported by labor unions, doctors, the California Nurses Association and California Women, Infants and Children. On August 26, parents and kids delivered a message in a BPA-free baby bottle to state legislators asking them to support the bill. (Click here to see photos.)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a synthetic estrogen widely used in hard plastics and the epoxy resins that line many food cans. Like many other hormonally active chemicals, BPA has been shown to increase breast cancer risk, even at very small doses, and children's developing bodies are particularly vulnerable.

Due to health concerns and consumer pressure, a number of manufacturers have stopped using it in plastics and numerous stores have stopped carrying products made with BPA, but many products available for purchase still include the endocrine-disrupting chemical.

More than 20 states and municipalities are now pushing to ban BPA from food containers, including Washington, Illinois, New York and Massachusetts, and bills have been passed in Connecticut, Minnesota, and three municipalities. The Breast Cancer Fund is also supporting a federal bill tackling BPA in food and beverage containers.

Learn more about BPA » 

Green Chemistry

As we know from the Breast Cancer Fund publication, State of the Evidence, a range of chemicals are linked to increased risk of breast cancer. Targeting these chemicals one at a time allows us to respond to the chemicals of greatest concern quickly, but preserving our health requires a new, system-wide approach to chemicals policy.

Last year, the California Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) acknowledged that looking at either chemicals or product categories one at a time cannot adequately address the toxic crisis plaguing California. As a result, the state passed legislation to create the California Green Chemistry Initiative. The Breast Cancer Fund participated in the process of passing this groundbreaking initiative, and is now actively involved in working with a coalition of partners, including the DTSC, to ensure the law protects human health.

The Breast Cancer Fund is part of a national effort to reform the way chemicals are regulated in the United States. States across the nation are working together to make sure that the laws that govern chemicals protect everyone and that safer alternatives are promoted and used in our products.

More about the California Green Chemistry Initiative »

Past Legislative Efforts

2008: California Safe Consumer Products legislation »

2007: Toxic toys and chemicals policy »

2006: The nation's first statewide biomonitoring program »

2005: The Safe Cosmetics Act, radiation safety and other initiatives »

Help your State: Legislative toolkit »