October is Breast Cancer Awareness month, which is why you see pink ribbons on everything from yogurt to pens to soup cans.
Yes, there are pink ribbons on soup cans lined with bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to breast cancer. Is it some kind of sick joke that cans lined with a chemical linked to cancer are sporting pink ribbons? Apparently Progresso Soup doesn't see the hypocrisy.
BPA is used in the epoxy-resin linings of metal food cans. BPA can leach from the resin and make its way into food. Lab studies have shown that BPA may be linked to early puberty, a risk factor for later-life breast cancer; can make healthy breast cells grow and survive like cancer cells and can make breast cancer drugs less effective.
"It's pretty ironic that Progresso is raising funds to fight breast cancer while also using a chemical linked to the disease in its cans," said Gretchen Lee Salter, policy manager at the Breast Cancer Fund. "If Progresso really cares about reducing breast cancer, it should commit to getting rid of BPA and replacing it with a safer alternative."
Healthy Child Healthy World has teamed up with the Breast Cancer Fund, Change.org and citizen petitioner Charles Drabkin to ask Progresso to stop using BPA to line its cans. Charles' petition on Change.org has more than 123, 000 signatures. Despite that significant show of public support for action on BPA from Progresso, the leadership of General Mills (which owns Progresso Soup) refused to meet with Charles or organizations that asked for a meeting to discuss transitioning away from BPA.
So we're taking action. Please leave a message on Progresso's Facebook page to let them know you think they should stop using BPA in soup cans! In addition, do all you can to protect yourself and your loved ones from breast cancer by taking preventative action. Visit Breast Cancer Fund's Prevention is Power campaign, which provides practical information about reducing exposure to toxic chemicals and making smarter choices as consumers throughout the month of October. And get more breast cancer prevention tips from Healthy Child Healthy World.
What steps are you or your friends and family taking to prevent cancer?