Recent reports that claim the chemical bisphenol-A, or BPA, could pose health risks for humans has prompted U.S. Sen. Charles E. Schumer, D-N.Y. to introduce legislation that would ban the chemical in all children's products.

The "BPA-Free Kid Act," which has been referred to the Senate Commerce, Science and Transportation Committee, not only aims to prevent the chemical from being used in items such as baby bottles and sippy cups, but also calls for stores to remove items containing BPA from their shelves.

"Many manufacturers and retailers are already taking the appropriate steps to get these products off the shelves, and now we want to make sure that everyone takes the same responsible steps," Mr. Schumer said in a statement.

The National Toxicology Program's Brief on Bisphenol-A says there were concerns with the chemical because reproductive and developmental problems were found in studies using laboratory animals.

The brief also explains that BPA can migrate into food from products such as baby bottles, tableware and water bottles, and may affect human development and reproduction.

The American Academy of Pediatrics has not yet issued a statement on the situation, so Dr. Jana Shaw, pediatrician and medical director of the North Country Children's Clinic, is urging parents to use caution.

Dr. Shaw said the initial concern over baby bottles containing BPA was whether boiling water poured into the bottles would release the chemical.

"Now there's a concern of leaking the substance in the bottle," she said. "We'll recommend, here, that BPA-free bottles be used until we know more."

Dr. Shaw said the concern from the public could prompt manufacturers to remove BPA from bottles and other items.

If approved, the BPA-Free Kid Act, which is co-sponsored by Sens. Dianne Feinstein, D-Calif.; Hillary Rodham Clinton, D-N.Y.; Richard Durbin, D-Ill., John F. Kerry, D-Mass., and Robert Mendez, D-N.J., will mandate that the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention conduct a study of the health effects of BPA.

Canada last month became the first country to ban BPA.

Parents with questions should contact the companies that make the products they would like to inquire about. Gerber's number is 1 (800) 443-7237 and Playtex's is 1 (800) 222-0453; both are major manufacturers of baby products.

Most packages don't specify whether the product contains BPA.

In Target stores, however, the three-pack Evenflo Classic 8-ounce bottles package states the bottles are without BPA; and in Wal-Mart stores, the three-pack 9-ounce Parents Choice bottles say they're BPA-free.

The Playtex Web site also explains which of the company's products contain BPA and which don't.