BPA (Bisphenol A)
"Intelligent and informed parents don't wait for a decision by government or industry to protect their children from possible harm."
It
seems there is a debate within the scientific community whether or not
BPA is harmful.
The more unbiased research that comes out about the dangers of BPA,
especially during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood, the more obvious
it is that
the only question is when will government and industry put the health
of our children first? And how many more children will be
harmed in the meantime?
Here
are the facts about BPA and how to best avoid the toxic substance:
Bisphenol
A is one of several chemicals which are "endocrine active substances"
and may cause harm to the endocrine and nervous systems; especially
development, reproduction, and metabolic processes. It has been
linked to reproductive problems, behaviorial issues, early puberty,
even cancer.
While there is still no conclusive evidence that BPA alone is
causing the high rates of cancers, fertility problems, behaviorial
disorders, and thyroid issues, it appears to be a contributor at
the least. Combined with all of the other toxins entering our
bodies through the water, food, and air today, we are overloading
our children. The response may be the oversensitivity to our
environment, including common foods, that we see in our little ones
today. This includes ADD, asthma, behaviorial problems, and food
allergies. The fact is that scientific research in such extremely
complicated areas as the human endocrine system takes years,
even decades. Then add pressure and biased interests from big
industry
and our political system--who knows how long it could take for
conclusive evidence!
An example of the time it takes from proving a substance is
harmful, to regulation and removal of that substance, is the situation
with PCB's. The safety of PCB's were questioned
since the 1930's. However, it wasn't until the 1970's that they
were finally regulated and banned for certain
uses. The U.S. was the single biggest producer of PCB's
from 1930-1977, thanks to corporate giant Monsanto. Even today,
there are still places contaminated by PCB's and cleanup efforts
continue. We cannot assume that industry and government know best
and are looking out for our children.
How to
Avoid or Minimize Exposure to Toxins in Plastics:
BPA, phthalates, and
other toxins are leached from plastics. Risks vary with the type
of plastic, contact time, heating, and age of consumers. Here are some tips to reduce your
risk:
Handwash plastics in warm water
Do
not heat plastics in the microwave
Don't
reuse bottles labeled PET or PETE
Fill
safe, reuseable water bottles at home instead of buying bottled water
Throw
away water bottles that are cracked or cloudy
Use
glass whenever possible for food and drink containers
Buy
infant and toddler food in glass jars instead of plastic
Purchase
BPA-free products, especially for infants and toddlers
Limit
your consumption of canned goods
According
to an article in Scientific American,
when plastic containers made with BPA are heated or hot liquids added,
the toxic chemical leaches out 55 times faster!
What the Recycling Codes on
Plastics mean
January 2010: The
FDA finally states they are concerned (see News below)
Environmental
Working Group's Guide to Baby-Safe Bottles and Formula
BPA
in the News
From
a National Geographic Green
Guide article
by Catherine Zandonella in April,
2006:
Frederick Vom
Saal, Ph.D., a developmental biologist at the University of Missouri,
counters that the studies showing
BPA is safe
are
"profoundly flawed and in some cases
exhibit outright fraud."
Last year, he published a paper showing that
100
percent of
the
industry-funded studies, 11 in all, found no
harmful effects from BPA, while 90 percent of government-funded
low-dose studies, 104
in number, found harmful effects.
"Among people who have actually
read this literature there is no debate, just an illusion of
controversy," he
says.
"Science is not in the business of
demonstrating anything beyond a shadow of a doubt,"
says Ana
Soto, M.D., a professor and researcher at
Tufts University
School of Medicine in Boston, who has found that BPA alters
mammary-gland development in mice. "We cannot wait that
long to discover
whether this chemical is harming
human reproduction and development."
April,
2008: Nalgene
Outdoor
Products, makers of polycarbonate water bottles, says it will no longer
use BPA.
September, 2008:
The
Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published "the
results of the first major
epidemiologic study to examine the health effects
associated with
the ubiquitous estrogenic chemical bisphenol A
(BPA)". "Based
on their analysis of data from the National
Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004,
Lang et al
report a significant relationship between urine
concentrations of
BPA and cardiovascular disease, type 2
diabetes, and
liver-enzyme abnormalities in a representative sample
of the adult US
population." They acknowledged that this doesn't
necessarily mean that these diseases were caused by BPA, but it does
show the urgent need for more research.
Sources:
Bisphenol A and Risk of Metabolic Disorders, by Frederick S. vom Saal, PhD ; John
Peterson Myers, PhD . Sept. 16, 2008
Lang
IA, Galloway TS, Scarlett A; et al. Association of urinary bisphenol A
concentration with medical disorders and laboratory abnormalities in
adults. JAMA.
2008;300(11):1303-1310.
October, 2008:
The
'FDA Science Board Subcommittee
on Food Contact Applications of
BPA' submitted a report
to the FDA containing their recommendations
based on their review of the FDA's findings on BPA. The
Subcommittee stated that they "agree with the focus of the draft
assessment on dietary exposures to children, because they are likely to
have both greater exposures and susceptibility than adults as a
function of food consumption patterns, metabolism, vulnerability of
developing systems and other factors." The Subcommittee
determined that there were a large number of case studies excluded from
the FDA's analysis and also research completed after its assessment
which should also be included. The Subcommittee further
pointed
out that by "Combining qualitative and quantitative information from
the CERHR-identified (Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human
Reproduction) studies with the draft FDA exposure assessment (which may
or may not be “conservative”), provides a basis for
the
Subcommittee to reasonably conclude that the Margins of Safety are
far less than
those defined by FDA as “adequate”."
"In
fact, it is the
judgment
of the Subcommittee that lack of consideration of the totality of
exposures from other sources severely limits the usefulness of the
safety assessment with respect to food contact applications."
"...research is needed to develop and improve methods for
quantitative evaluation of existing data to incorporate mechanistic
studies into the risk assessment of BPA and other chemicals."
Canada
became the first country to announce governmental regulations to ban
baby bottles containg BPA and the funding of additional BPA research.
Wal-Mart
announces it will no longer sell
baby bottles containing BPA, in U.S. stores, starting early in 2009.
Philips Avent,
the number one seller of
baby bottles in the U.S., stopped selling those containing BPA in North
America at the end of 2008.
March,
2009:
Suffolk County in New York bans the sale of infant and toddler products
with BPA.
Sunoco,
a manufacturer of BPA, decided not to sell the chemical for
use in
food and water products for children under age three.
Members of Congress introduce legislation
to ban BPA in food and beverage containers.
April,
2009:
International conference of scientists questions the FDA's assertion of
the safety of BPA and the two main studies behind their conclusions. Read
the Article
May, 2009:
Minnesaota becomes the first state to pass legislation banning
products containing BPA in food and beverage containers for children
under age three. The ban officially goes into effect January 1,
2010. Read the Article
June, 2009:
The chief of the FDA agrees to review previous findings on BPA.
Read the Article
January, 2010:
The FDA finally states they are concerned:
"We have some concern, which leads us to recommend reasonable steps the
public can take to reduce exposure to BPA," said Joshua Sharfstein,
FDA's deputy commissioner, in a conference call to reporters Friday. Read
the Article
Back
to NutritionIt
seems there is a debate within the scientific community whether or not
BPA is harmful.
The more unbiased research that comes out about the dangers of BPA,
especially during pregnancy, infancy, and childhood, the more obvious
it is that
the only question is when will government and industry put the health
of our children first? And how many more children will be
harmed in the meantime?
Here are the facts about BPA and how to best avoid the toxic substance:
Bisphenol A is one of several chemicals which are "endocrine active substances" and may cause harm to the endocrine and nervous systems; especially development, reproduction, and metabolic processes. It has been linked to reproductive problems, behaviorial issues, early puberty, even cancer. While there is still no conclusive evidence that BPA alone is causing the high rates of cancers, fertility problems, behaviorial disorders, and thyroid issues, it appears to be a contributor at the least. Combined with all of the other toxins entering our bodies through the water, food, and air today, we are overloading our children. The response may be the oversensitivity to our environment, including common foods, that we see in our little ones today. This includes ADD, asthma, behaviorial problems, and food allergies. The fact is that scientific research in such extremely complicated areas as the human endocrine system takes years, even decades. Then add pressure and biased interests from big industry and our political system--who knows how long it could take for conclusive evidence!
An example of the time it takes from proving a substance is harmful, to regulation and removal of that substance, is the situation with PCB's. The safety of PCB's were questioned since the 1930's. However, it wasn't until the 1970's that they were finally regulated and banned for certain uses. The U.S. was the single biggest producer of PCB's from 1930-1977, thanks to corporate giant Monsanto. Even today, there are still places contaminated by PCB's and cleanup efforts continue. We cannot assume that industry and government know best and are looking out for our children.
How to
Avoid or Minimize Exposure to Toxins in Plastics:
BPA, phthalates, and other toxins are leached from plastics. Risks vary with the type of plastic, contact time, heating, and age of consumers. Here are some tips to reduce your risk:
Handwash plastics in warm water
Do not heat plastics in the microwave
Don't reuse bottles labeled PET or PETE
Fill safe, reuseable water bottles at home instead of buying bottled water
Throw away water bottles that are cracked or cloudy
Use glass whenever possible for food and drink containers
Buy infant and toddler food in glass jars instead of plastic
Purchase BPA-free products, especially for infants and toddlers
Limit your consumption of canned goods
According to an article in Scientific American, when plastic containers made with BPA are heated or hot liquids added, the toxic chemical leaches out 55 times faster!
What the Recycling Codes on Plastics mean
January 2010: The FDA finally states they are concerned (see News below)
BPA in the News
April, 2008: Nalgene Outdoor Products, makers of polycarbonate water bottles, says it will no longer use BPA.
September, 2008:The Journal of the American Medical Association (JAMA) published "the results of the first major epidemiologic study to examine the health effects associated with the ubiquitous estrogenic chemical bisphenol A (BPA)". "Based on their analysis of data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey 2003-2004, Lang et al report a significant relationship between urine concentrations of BPA and cardiovascular disease, type 2 diabetes, and liver-enzyme abnormalities in a representative sample of the adult US population." They acknowledged that this doesn't necessarily mean that these diseases were caused by BPA, but it does show the urgent need for more research.
Sources:
Bisphenol A and Risk of Metabolic Disorders, by
Lang
IA, Galloway TS, Scarlett A; et al. Association of urinary bisphenol A
concentration with medical disorders and laboratory abnormalities in
adults. JAMA.
2008;300(11):1303-1310.
The 'FDA Science Board Subcommittee on Food Contact Applications of BPA' submitted a report to the FDA containing their recommendations based on their review of the FDA's findings on BPA. The Subcommittee stated that they "agree with the focus of the draft assessment on dietary exposures to children, because they are likely to have both greater exposures and susceptibility than adults as a function of food consumption patterns, metabolism, vulnerability of developing systems and other factors." The Subcommittee determined that there were a large number of case studies excluded from the FDA's analysis and also research completed after its assessment which should also be included. The Subcommittee further pointed out that by "Combining qualitative and quantitative information from the CERHR-identified (Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction) studies with the draft FDA exposure assessment (which may or may not be “conservative”), provides a basis for the Subcommittee to reasonably conclude that the Margins of Safety are far less than those defined by FDA as “adequate”."
"In fact, it is the judgment of the Subcommittee that lack of consideration of the totality of exposures from other sources severely limits the usefulness of the safety assessment with respect to food contact applications." "...research is needed to develop and improve methods for quantitative evaluation of existing data to incorporate mechanistic studies into the risk assessment of BPA and other chemicals."
Wal-Mart announces it will no longer sell baby bottles containing BPA, in U.S. stores, starting early in 2009.
Philips Avent, the number one seller of baby bottles in the U.S., stopped selling those containing BPA in North America at the end of 2008.
March, 2009:
Suffolk County in New York bans the sale of infant and toddler products with BPA.
Sunoco, a manufacturer of BPA, decided not to sell the chemical for use in food and water products for children under age three.
Members of Congress introduce legislation to ban BPA in food and beverage containers.
April, 2009:
International conference of scientists questions the FDA's assertion of the safety of BPA and the two main studies behind their conclusions. Read the Article
May, 2009:
Minnesaota becomes the first state to pass legislation banning products containing BPA in food and beverage containers for children under age three. The ban officially goes into effect January 1, 2010. Read the Article
June, 2009:
The chief of the FDA agrees to review previous findings on BPA. Read the Article
January, 2010:
The FDA finally states they are concerned:
"We have some concern, which leads us to recommend reasonable steps the public can take to reduce exposure to BPA," said Joshua Sharfstein, FDA's deputy commissioner, in a conference call to reporters Friday. Read the Article
Back to Environmental Toxins
Contact Us:
danielle@fullcirclechild.com
