Blog
BPA Update - The Good, The Bad, and The Ugly
Janelle Sorensen
Monday, October 27, 2008
Bisphenol-A has had its fair share of media coverage this year and things are definitely not quieting down. Just this week a scientific panel released a report charging that the FDA ignored valuable studies when it concluded last summer that BPA is a safe chemical. Many retailers and manufacturers have responded over the past year by voluntarily phasing out the suspect plastic. Despite these clear market signals, the manufacturers of BPA aren’t giving up without a fight. Here is the latest in this on-going chemical saga:
The Good
• Kudos to Canada for officially declaring BPA a toxic agent and banning the sale, import, and advertising of baby bottles containing BPA.
• Connecticut Attorney General Richard Blumenthal, along with the Attorneys General from New Jersey and Delaware, sent a letter to 11 baby bottle and formula container manufacturers asking them to voluntarily stop using BPA in their products.
• San Francisco Supervisor Michela Alioto-Pier wants stores in the city that sell baby bottles made with BPA to pull them from the shelves -- and Safeway already has agreed to do so across its grocery stores nationally. She will also be asking hospitals to discontinue their use of these products.
• The National Institutes of Health’s National Toxicology Program released a report on October 23rd reaffirming their 2007 findings that BPA does indeed pose a health concern. Now if they could only convince their FDA peers…
The Bad
In addition to the piles of studies that have already raised red flags, new research continues to demonstrate BPA’s potential ill effects.
• The first study on humans showed a link between BPA and heart disease and diabetes.
• In tests on breast cancer cells, researchers from the University of Cincinnati found that BPA may protect cancer cells from dying off when they are exposed to anti-cancer drugs, reducing the effectiveness of chemotherapy.
• Based on a review of 261 scientific publications, the National Toxicology Program found that BPA may alter brain development and behavior, and increase the risk of prostate cancer in children, infants and fetuses.
The Ugly
The government agency that has the authority to protect us from this chemical, the US FDA, has declared BPA safe. Since they made this declaration, many have been asking why. Investigative reporters from the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel uncovered a dirty, little secret: the FDA report claiming that BPA is safe was written largely by the plastics industry and others with a financial stake in the controversial chemical.
The American Chemistry Council, the trade group representing chemical manufacturers, submitted their own (biased) review of BPA studies that the FDA used as the foundation for their evaluation. In addition, it recently came to light that the chair of the FDA subcommittee failed to disclose receiving a $5 million “gift” from a major BPA user. Science for sale, anyone?
"This latest revelation makes clear that no matter who is in the White House come January, he has to rebuild the FDA," said Environmental Working Group (EWG) President Ken Cook. "An agency that once epitomized independent, impartial expertise in the service of public health has degenerated to a disgraced stenographer for the chemical and plastics industry."
Make your voice heard!
Sign the petition supporting legislation (S. 2928, HR 6228) introduced this summer that bans BPA from all food and beverage products. The Consumer's Union has already gathered almost 18,000 signatures! Add yours now.
More News on BPA and Regulatory Failure
Sign the Petition to Get BPA Out of Children’s Products
The Smart Mama’s Simple Steps to Avoiding BPA
Posted by Janelle Sorensen on 11/08/2008 at 01:55 PM
Aseptic food packaging has a very thin coating of polyethylene (PET #1) plastic. It’s a much safer option than cans lined with BPA resin.
Posted by Janelle Sorensen on 11/05/2008 at 09:19 AM
Stephanie,
Plastic milk jugs are generally HDPE #2, which is a safer plastics (and, in most areas, recyclable).
Paperboard cartons may have different coatings based on the manufacturer, so you’ll have to contact the company. I learned that Organic Valley’s cartons have a thin coating of polyethylene (PET #1) plastic - another safer plastic.
Personally, we opt for plastic jugs since we can recycle them. Either way, you don’t need to be concerned about BPA in the packaging.
Posted by Jennifer Viviano on 11/05/2008 at 09:13 AM
Another concern in this realm is the plasticized lining of food cans as it apparently also contains BPA. What about the linings of asceptic food boxes? I have heard nothing about this.
Posted by Paula on 11/05/2008 at 06:57 AM
I looked for a safe drinking bottle to carry my reverse osmosis purified water. I purchased one which was said to be BPA free, but to my horror after one use and removal of the stick on labels I found it to be a #7 and haven’t used it since. I felt I was protecting myself and my family with my selection, but did I? Clarification would be appreciated.
Posted by Janelle Sorensen on 11/04/2008 at 04:58 PM
Eastman Tritan copolyester is not polycarbonate, it’s just being used as the latest replacement given is similar qualities as a plastic. So far, it does not include BPA or phthalates and appears to hold up to environmental assaults better than its predecessor.
It seems to be a safer alternative, but (once again) we are throwing products on the market without adequately testing them.
Posted by Janelle Sorensen on 11/04/2008 at 04:45 PM
Josephine,
First, clarification, I don’t think anyone from this field promotes #3 (PVC), it’s usually 1,2,4, and 5 which are considered “safer.” We are also increasingly trying to let consumers know that #7 is a catchall category that includes many plastics, good and bad alike. It is simply that #7 used to mostly be polycarbonate with BPA. The market has been shifting very quickly and now many other plastics fall into that category that do not contain BPA.
It is VERY confusing. Yet another reason we need to overhaul our chemical regulatory system to make sure products are safe before they go on the market. Consumers shouldn’t have to do this much research!
Thanks for pointing out this nuance!
Posted by stephanie on 11/03/2008 at 02:50 PM
I’ve been wondering if BPA is in milk containers. I’ve opted for the more expensive half-gallon cardboard containers figuring that’s better for my daughter & the environment than milk the one-gallon plastic jugs but I don’t know what the cardboard containers are lined with. Does anyone know?
Posted by Josephine on 11/03/2008 at 01:54 PM
I have been doing research on BPA for years and owning a company that uses plastics I am even more concerned about knowing what is in the plastic bottles we use however, when the media says numbers 1, 2, 3, 4, 5 are safe and then calls for a number like 7 as bad, it is completely untrue. Companies like Whole Foods stock number 7 bottles that contain NO BPA.
Josephine Fermanian
Fermani Corp. dba Organic Pharm
PediaOrganic
Natural Oral Electrolyte
www.pediaorganic.com
248-421-8326
Posted by Amy Singer on 11/03/2008 at 01:25 PM
Thanks for all the helpful links. Maybe this will convince my daughter’s school to get rid of the BPA-containing plastics that they continue to use. Also, do you know anything about the new “BPA-free and phthalage free” polycarbonate out there (Eastman Tritan copolyester). Are we just trading one toxin for another?
Thanks,
Amy
Posted by sue lundquist on 11/03/2008 at 08:06 AM
Thank you so much, There is so much information out there and it is refreshing to get the facts. I have passed this information on. sue
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Posted by Janelle Sorensen on 11/12/2008 at 09:11 AM
Paula,
The #7 is a catch-all category for “other” plastics. While it used to primarily be polycarbonate wih BPA, the market is shifting quickly due to consumer avoidance of BPA. If your water bottle was labeled BPA-free, you can feel safe that it is. As with any plastic, still use basic precautions like not leaving it in the sun, not using warm beverages in it, washing it by hand, and disposing of it when it’s scratched or worn.
Please let me know if you have any other questions.