California may become one of the first states to ban the use of bisphenol-A (more commonly known as BPA), a chemical found in plastic products that has been linked to various health problems. A bill to ban BPA narrowly passed the California Senate but fell short of the needed votes to pass in the California Assembly.

There has been a nationwide debate about BPA since it has been linked to numerous health problems, including heart disease, cancer, infertility, diabetes and neurological disorders, to name just a few.

BPA was never meant to be ingested by the human body but has been found to leach from containers into foods and beverages. In 2007, the Center for Disease Control found that 93% of Americans have BPA in their urine. More shockingly, because babies and young children metabolize the chemical more slowly than adults, the risks to their bodies are greater.

The debate over BPA, both the argument that current levels are safe as well as the overwhelming independent evidence that BPA is harmful, is so controversial that the FDA is investigating the matter further and will disclose their findings in November. Until then, each state is left to wade through the battle alone.