BPA Safety for Women, Men & Children (February, 2015)
Over the last several months I have read various reports about BPA’s (Bisphenol A). This is an industrial chemical used to produce polycarbonate plastic that is a clear shatterproof plastic with epoxy resins. It is found in food and beverage cans, plastic containers, cash register receipts, some dental sealants, medical devices, composites, and other medical and plastic products. As a consumer, we thought that we were doing enough by changing our Tupperware, water bottles and food packaging, but that is not the case.
Did you know that exposure occurs when BPA leaches out into foods, particularly when foods are heated or washed with abrasive substances? It is estimated that approximately 93% of Americans age 6 and over are exposed to BPA. The FDA has declared BPA to be safe, although there are concerns about the chemical’s toxicity.
The FDA is in agreement with the National Toxicology Program (NTP) about the potential effects of BPA on the brain behavior and prostate gland in fetuses and in young children. A 2013 review in Reproductive Toxicology concluded that there was “a growing human literature correlating environmental BPA exposure to adverse effects in humans, along with laboratory studies in many species including primates, provides increasing support that environmental BPA exposure can be harmful to humans, especially in regards to behavioral and other effects in children.” There was also a review in Reviews of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology highlighting detrimental effects of BPA on male reproductive function during in utero exposure: including feminization of male fetuses, increased prostate size, and atrophy of the testes.
There is a study being done by the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences and the FDA on the toxicity of BPA. The research is being done on the following areas: breast and prostate cancers, immune function, learning and behavior, ovarian function, urogenital abnormalities, brain and thyroid development, obesity and diabetes mellitus in addition to coronary artery disease. This study will be completed by 2015.
According to the NY Times article in September 2014, a series of tests revealed that BPA could damage developing ovaries. Jodi Flaws, a bioscientist at the University of Illinois, began testing a theory which concluded the above.
What is a health minded consumer to do? To begin with avoid all food containers, cups and dishes marked with the letters “PC” (which stands for polycarbonate or recycling label #7). Also in this category, are plastics that contain bisphenol-S (BPS), the primary chemical alternative to BPA, which may also have negative health effects. Secondly, I would suggest buying packed food choices in glass jars, or waxed cardboard cartons. Ceramic, glass, and stainless steel are a great way to store materials which can go into the freezer easily. Next, try buying fewer processed foods. Most processed foods at the grocery store come in plastic packaging. Also bring your own shopping bags which are reusable. Cotton ones are ideal. A great website is www.ecobags.com. Lastly, for toddlers Klean Kanteen makes a stainless steel BPS-BPA free cup for toddlers.
References
1. Blum, Deborah,” In Plastics and Cans, a Threat to Women”, NY Times.com, September 7, 2014.
2. http://www.forbes.com/sites/henrymiller/2014/03/12/fda-research-confirms-bpa-is-a-ok/
3. http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/PublicHealthFocus/ucm064437.htm
