Two lawsuits allege that baby-bottle makers mislead the public about the dangers their products could pose to babies
Two US makers of baby bottles engaged in a “campaign of reckless deceit” about the dangers of microplastics released by their products, according to two separate lawsuits that have recently been filed.
The lawsuits against Philips North America and Handi-Craft Co. allege that the companies marketed baby bottles as safe, despite knowing that when their products were heated they would release large quantities of harmful microplastics into the contents of the bottles.
“This disregard for the safety and well-being of society’s most vulnerable members has placed the health and welfare of millions of children in jeopardy as well as duped consumers out of millions of dollars,” the lawsuits claim.
The plaintiffs allege that the companies have “callously brought to life every parent’s worst nightmare: unknowingly harming their children through a product they believed was safe.”
The lawsuits make their claims on behalf of all California residents who have bought the offending products within the last four years and all US residents who have bought them within the relevant statue of limitations period.
Microplastics—literally, microscopic pieces of plastic—have been identified as a massive emerging health threat, and studies have already linked them to virtually all of the prevailing chronic diseases of modernity, from irritable bowel syndrome and heart disease, to reproductive dysfunction and degenerative brain diseases like Alzheimer’s.
Microplastics have been detected in virtually every tissue in living animals, including the brain and reproductive organs. Studies have shown that microplastics are present in the placenta and cord blood and pass from mother to baby during pregnancy, with as-yet unknown effects on development
Children, with their developing bodies, are particularly vulnerable to microplastics, and research has already shown that children have massively elevated levels of microplastics in their bodies, for a variety of reasons, including the use of plastic baby bottles, cutlery and toys, and the closer proximity of children to the ground, where microplastics accumulate in dust.
The lawsuits are seeking, among other things, court orders to prevent the two companies from selling the products.
