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Latest BPA research news
It seems that Bisphenol A (BPA), a key ingredient of polycarbonate – clear, shatter-resistant plastic and epoxy resins – may adversely affect brain development of babies in the womb, particularly if the exposure occurs early on in the pregnancy. This is according to research published Insciences October, 6, 2009 by Prof. of Pediatrics, Bruce Lanphear, at the Univ. N. Carolina and Simon Fraser University Health, who found a link between prenatal exposure of a mother to BPA’s and hyperactivity and aggression in their two year old daughters from that pregnancy. Male toddlers seemed unaffected but there was some evidence of anger internalization. These results are similar to work which showed that female baby mice exposed to BPA prenatally, showed more aggressive, male-like behavior
What do official government bodies say about BPA?
The current safety assessment of the US National Academy of Sciences (NRC, 1983),
concludes that research incriminating BPA’s, are mostly scare stories: human exposure to BPA from food contact, is minimal (0.000118mg/kg body weight) and poses no known risk to human health. This assessment was confirmed by European and Japanese commissions. Large scale research using very high levels of 50mg/kg/day found that BPA was not carcinogenic and did not cause reproductive or developmental problems.
The bodies dismissed the BPA-condemning-research, stating that, unlike their large scale research, it was done on small samples and could not show repeatability. In the same way, the “Low-dose Hypothesis” was also dismissed by Dr. Rochelle Tye et. al, 2002. The low dose hypothesis proposes that continuous low exposures to the BPA can cause harm. Some research using this idea, showed that BPA acts as an endocrine neurotoxic disruptor mimicking estrogen.
Should we be heating plastics – making Ziploc baggie omelets?
Plasticware such as baby bottles, clingwrap, aluminium can linings, toys and plastic baggies fell under suspicion in 2006, Science News report, causing San Francisco to ban BPA containing plastics . As a result, SC Johnson, manufacturers of Ziploc bags and Saran Premium wrap, removed the BPA, and other possible endocrine disruptors from their products ie. adipates (DEHA), phthalates (DEHP) and dioxin (a chlorine containing compound). So it’s probably safe to make those Ziploc omelets.
Again, in 2008, University of Cincinnati published in Toxicology, that BPA is released when heating polycarbonate bottles, and the release continued even after the heating stopped.
The US National Academy of Sciences, stated, however, that there was no cause for alarm – repeat research with improved experimental design found that baby bottles, after 4 – 8 cycles of sterilization, returned to a base level of BPA, no longer releasing higher levels. The highest level of BPA released was less than 1% of the 50mg test level that had no negative effects.
Pehaps we should repeatedly sterilize all plasticware to get rid of excess BPA before using it.
Where could we be getting BPA?
Despite these reassurances, if you'd prefer to be on the safe side, watch out for packaging of food and storage containers. BPA can come from food, drinking water and the air, even dental sealants. BPA in the urine of Japanese women dropped radically after the plastic packaging of the tea and coffee they used was changed. The Hazardous Substances Data Bank, reported BPA in plastic sandals and gloves causing dermatitis. Other symptoms include photo-reactivity and eye, nose and throat irritation from inhalation from workers exposed to epoxy resin hardeners.
Should we ignore the “hype”?
The WWF site, May 2000, reminds us that babies and fetuses are very susceptible to hazardous substances owing to their small size and active development. Also of concern, is that BPA may be stored in the body - extremely high levels were found in the adipose tissue of women in SE Spain. If one considers that some of the refuted research, implicated BPA in prostate cancer (risen in the last 30 years to 1 in 6), breast cancer, diabetes, miscarriages, brain development, aggression and now hyperactivity, it’s probably better to be on the safe side and use glass or ceramic, paper and BPA-free plastic where possible.
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