Multnomah County Passes BPA Ban

The Lund Report: Parents and children packed the board room this morning to hear the Multnomah County Commissioners vote unanimously to ban the sale and manufacture of reusable water bottles, sippy cups and baby bottles that contain the organic chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA).

Multnomah County's ban follows numerous attempts at the state level to pass a ban on BPA, and this morning's vote is the first successful attempt in Oregon.

Earlier this year, legislators failed to pass a similar ban. "It was a huge disappointment," said Sen. Jackie Dingfelder (D-NE Portland), who sponsored that bill and testifed at this morning's hearing.

In 2010, a bill that would have banned BPA from even more products failed as well.

"This would have best had it been a state-wide action," said county chair Jeff Cogen. "But when the state fails to lead, the local leaders have to step up and act."