Baby Bottle Lawsuits Allege Dr. Brown’s and Avent Brands Leach Microplastics

Families allege that the baby bottles could release more than 16 million microplastic particles per liter into the contents of the bottles.

Class action lawsuits have been filed against the manufacturers of Avent and Dr. Brown’s baby bottles, alleging that the companies failed to warn parents about the risk of harmful microplastics leaching from the bottles when heated, potentially causing long-term health risks to children.

The baby bottle class action lawsuits were each filed in the in the United State District Court for the Northern District of California late last month, pursuing damages on behalf of families nationwide against Philips North America and Handi-Craft Company, which are named as defendants.

Both of the complaints present similar allegations, indicating that the two manufacturers sold baby bottles with false and misleading marketing claims. The bottles were advertised as “BPA Free,” indicating they do not contain Bisphenol A, which is a chemical known to leach from certain plastics when heated. However, the lawsuit claims that the baby bottles did contain polypropylene, which is now known to also leach microplastics when heated.

Baby Bottle Microplastic Risks

Bisphenol A has been widely used for decades in the production of plastics and resins, and it is widely found in everyday items like water bottles and food containers. However, consumers now avoid many plastic products with BPA, due to its known tendency to leach into food and drinks under certain conditions, such as when the containers are heated.

Exposure to BPA has been linked to various health issues, including effects on infant and child brain development, as well as potential connections to cardiovascular problems and reproductive disorders, leading many families to seek out products that are marketed as “BPA Free”.

Polypropylene has been commonly used as a substitute for BPA plastics, but there is not increasing evidence that it can also release microplastics when heated, posing similar health risks to BPA. These microplastics can accumulate in the body and are suspected to cause inflammation and other adverse health effects, particularly in vulnerable populations like children, whose developing bodies are more susceptible to environmental toxins.

In October 2020, the findings of a study out of Trinity College Dublin were published in the journal Nature, warned that baby bottles made of polypropylene plastics release high levels of microplastics when heated, resulting in infants receiving an average of nearly 1.6 million microplastic particles every day.

Dr. Brown’s and Avent Baby Bottle Lawsuits

The lawsuits claims that the manufacturers deceptively advertise the Dr. Brown’s and Avent baby bottle products as being “BPA FREE” while intentionally omitting that the bottles contain polypropylene as an alternative chemical that also releases harmful microplastics.

“Bottles made with BPA present a similar danger as bottles made from polypropylene since both bottles leach harmful substances when heated and thus negatively impact the human digestive system, immune system, and reproductive system.” the lawsuits state.

The omission of this important information leads families to believe that the products are safe for feeding babies and infants, according to the baby bottles lawsuit. However, in reality, these products also release harmful microplastics into the contents of the bottles when heated and used as directed, endangering children’s health.

In the complaint (PDF) filed against Philips, Tuliisa Miller, Adrianna Cortez, and Brian Magadan claim that the manufacturer acknowledged and was well aware that their polypropylene-based Avent bottles would routinely be subjected to heating, as indicated by the instructions to stir heated food or drinks in the microwave and check the temperature before serving.

Plaintiff’s who filed the complaint (PDF) against Handi-Craft raise similar arguments, indicating that the manufacturer knew Dr. Brown’s baby bottles would be sterilized at high temperatures before being used for children, a process that poses risks of microplastics leaching from the bottles.

The lawsuits claim that heating the plastic baby bottles could release microplastics with values as high as 16,200,000 particles per liter, which jeopardizes the health and well-being of children and misleads average consumers who would otherwise not know the products were unsafe.

By using deceptive labeling and advertising practices, the defendants take advantage of parents, leading them to pay more for what they believe is a safer product, according to the complaints. Without expert knowledge in plastics, the average consumer is especially susceptible to this misleading practice, the lawsuit states.

The lawsuits are both seeking class action certification, raising allegations of unjust enrichment, violation of California false advertising laws and breach of warranty. The complaints also seek to have the court issue an injunctive relief to stop the companies from manufacturing, marketing, and selling the baby bottles without proper warnings.