AUGUSTA, Maine (NEWS CENTER) -- A legislative committee voted unanimously late Friday to phase out the use of Bisphenol A, also known as BPA in children's products and other resusable containers.
The Maine Board of Enviromental Protection voted late last year to black retailers in Maine from selling products that contain BPA, but such a ban required approval from lawmakers. Earlier Friday supporters rallied for the ban in front of a 20-foot tall inflatable baby bottle.
They say scientific research overwhelmingly shows that BPA can cause health problems in young children, it if leaches into their food or formula. The committee also heard from Darryl Brown, the commissioenr of the Department of Enviromental Protection. He told lawmakers his department is neither for nor against the measure.
At the same time, Governor Le Page told NEWS CENTER, he was not backing down from his stand that BPA does not need further regulation.
'If it's embedded in science and they can prove me through science, that the scienfigic communty believes it is a bad chemical, I will be the first one to sign it short of that I will never sign it,' said the Governor.
The plan to phase out BPA must be approved by both houses of the Maine legislature.