Bisphenol A (BPA)

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a high-volume production chemical used to make epoxy resin and polycarbonate plastic products.  Unfortunately, BPA is a developmental and reproductive toxin that has been found in our bodies and the environment.  Safer alternatives to BPA are available.

What is bisphenol A?

Bisphenol A (BPA), found in the 1930s to be a synthetic estrogen and considered for use as a pregnancy aid , is now a high-volume production chemical used to make epoxy resin and polycarbonate plastic. Approximately 7 billion pounds of BPA is produced globally each year for use in baby bottles, dental sealants, compact discs, water bottles, food cans, and a large variety of other items.

BPA in our bodies
Due to the widespread use of BPA, human and environmental exposure to the chemical is prevalent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 90% of Americans have detectable levels of BPA in their bodies, and children have higher concentrations of BPA in their bodies than adolescents and adults. Prenatal exposure is to BPA is also significant as the chemical can be absorbed and distributed in the fetus through the placenta.

Sources of Exposure

Human exposure to BPA comes primarily from contaminated food and beverages. Food and beverage packaging made with BPA – such asplastic bottles, metal cans, and reusable storage containers – can leach the chemical into food and drinks. A study by the Harvard School of Public Health found that concentrations of BPA in urine increased by 69% when polycarbonate water bottles were used for cold beverages during the course of a week. BPA can also leach from infant formula cans and heated baby bottles, the primary source of exposure to the chemical for newborns and infants.

Exposure to BPA

Due to the widespread use of BPA, human and environmental exposure to the chemical is prevalent. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC), more than 90% of Americans have detectable levels of BPA in their bodies. The CDC has also found that children have higher concentrations of BPA in their bodies than adolescents and adults. This exposure can come from a variety of sources including leaching baby bottles, water bottles, and other food and beverage containers.

BPA is also commonly found in the environment. It is “one of the most frequently detected industrial chemicals in groundwater” and is also found in landfill leachate, surface water, sewage, sludge, and treated waste water discharge.

A recent study found that popular brands of baby bottles leached BPA when heated. The studied concluded that the amount of BPA released from the bottles was “within the range shown to cause harm in animal studies and is therefore a health concern for infants.”

Health Effects

BPA is a synthetic estrogen that can have toxic effects on the body even at low dose exposures. Over 90% of the more than 100 government-funded studies on low dose exposures to BPA have resulted in adverse health effects. Health effects that have resulted from low dose exposures include:

Developmental and Behavioral Issues:
Hyperactivity , altered maternal behavior , changes in male infant behavior , impaired learning , and delayed development .

Reproductive Disorders:
Recurrent miscarriages , ovarian dysfunction , abnormalities in female eggs , early onset puberty , altered mammary gland development , early vaginal opening , reduced sperm count , increased anogenital distance , and impacts on the testis.

Cancer:
Breast cancer , prostate cancer , and reduced effectiveness of chemotherapy treatments .

Heart Problems, Liver abnormalities, Diabetes, and Obesity:
Heart disease , diabetes , liver abnormalities , insulin resistance , , obesity , and heart arrhythmias .

Later life health effects:
BPA can result in the altered behavior of over 200 genes , impacting the health of the body and how it responds to its environment throughout its entire life.

Alternatives to BPA

Alternatives to BPA in food and beverage containers not only exist, but are already in use. With growing frequency, manufacturers are producing BPA

-free products and seeing benefits to their bottom lines. Retailers have also joined the ranks by refusing to sell items containing BPA.

Baby bottles
Glass is a common and popular alternative for replacing the synthetic estrogen in baby bottles. For those parents concerned with breakage, many bottles come with silicone sleeves to protect against this. Plastic alternatives such as polyamide, used by Born Free, also exist.

Water bottles
Many manufacturers are opting for stainless steel, aluminum, or an alternative plastic called Tritan copolyester.

Food cans
Alternative food can linings include a natural blend of oil and resin extracted from plants (such as the balsam fir) and polyester-based coatings. However, finding a suitable replacement for all applications is a challenge due to the corrosive nature of highly acidic foods.

Governments Taking Action on BPA

In the last year, governments working to protect the health of children from BPA have made extraordinary progress. The Canadian government recently took steps to reduce BPA exposure in infants and newborns by banning the importation, sale, and advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles.

In the United States, Minnesota was the first state in the country to ban BPA, prohibiting its use in baby bottles and sippy cups. Connecticut soon followed, passing an even more extensive law that prohibits the use of BPA in baby bottles, infant formula and baby food jars and cans, and reusable food and beverage containers. And the Massachusetts Department of Public Health recently issued a public health advisory on BPA.

In addition to states, cities and towns are also taking action. The city of Chicago as well as three New York counties (Albany, Schenectady, and Suffolk) established policies that restrict the sale of BPA-tainted baby bottles and sippy cups.

Governments that have banned BPA

• Canada

• Minnesota 

•  Connecticut

• Chicago, Illinois

• Albany County, New York  

• Schenectady County, New York  

• Suffolk County, New York

Vermont Organizations that Support Banning BPA

•Informed Green Solutions

• Voices for Vermont’s Children

•Mama Says

• Planned Parenthood of Northern New England

•Toxics Action Center

• Vermont Public Interest Research Group