Endangered Spaces blog: B is for Bisphenol A (BPA)

Wednesday, April 07, 2010

B is for Bisphenol A (BPA)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical used primarily to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. BPA is used to make hard plastic bottles, liners in food cans and a many other items. One federal study found that more than 90 percent of Americans have traces of BPA in their urine.

Studies have linked BPA to heart disease, prostate problems, erectile dysfunction and breast cancer. The chemical acts like estrogen in the body, binding to estrogen receptor. High concentrations of it disrupt insulin production, which in turn leads to excess triglycerides in the bloodstream.

What Products Contain BPA?

Bottled water is typically in BPA-free bottles.

Most canned food containers contain BPA in the liners.

The FDA does not require disclose that a product contains BPA.

Polycarbonate is used in a small percentage of Tupperware products. Tupperware products made for children do not contain BPA.

A majority of baby bottles and sippy cups made in the USA are BPA-free. Some major retailers, including Target and Wal-Mart, have stopped selling baby bottles made with BPA, but many other retailers still carry them.

Hard plastic, reusable water bottles may contain BPA. Plastic containers with recycling codes 3 or 7 are most likely to have BPA. Containers with recycling codes 1, 2, 4, 5 and 6 usually do not contain BPA.

Many dental sealants, including the ones used on children, contain BPA. Ask your dentist for an alternative.

To Minimize BPA Exposure

Buy fresh, frozen or glass-bottled products.

Use glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.

Avoid cans when possible. BPA is used to line almost all metal cans, including soda cans.

Avoid heating food in plastic containers with BPA, putting very hot or boiling drinks in plastic made with BPA or using dishwasher for items containing BPA. The heat may damage the container and allow BPA to leach into foods and drinks.

Environmental Concerns

Annually, more than 1 million pounds of BPA make it into the environment, where some of it, though exactly how much is unclear, ends up in the water. BPA is a reproductive, developmental, and systemic toxicant in animal studies and mimics estrogen, so there are questions about its potential impact on children’s health and the environment.

Study: Intersex Fish More Common in Areas With Higher Populations - Science News | Science & Technology | Technology News - FOXNews.com

A form of intersex fish, which have both male and female traits . . . have been found in U.S. waters over the past decade, including the southern Great Lakes, the Potomac River watershed, which includes the Eastern Panhandle in West Virginia, and the Southern California coast . . . researchers suspect wastewater and farm runoff polluted with chemicals that stimulate estrogen production are at fault.