Dangers and risks of Bisphenol A (BPA)

BPA penetrates even the body through the skin

Researchers from INRA of unity Xenobiotics in Toulouse show, by cell cultures, that BPA enters the body through the skin [3]. In August 2010, U.S. researchers found that home hosts and cashiers had, in their urine, blood and amniotic fluid, BPA rates much higher than the average. En effet il est présent sous forme libre dans la majorité des “papiers thermiques” (tickets of cash registers, reçus de paiement …). BPA, present in large quantity, is used as a revealer of colour of printing.

Starting from this observation, INRA researchers did tests on explants of pig ears and found that it that is the registered dose of BPA, two-thirds, about, crossing the skin barrier !

It should be noted that facing this new group Super U has decided to remove receipts printed on thermal paper in its 1 400 stores.

What is the reaction of our Governments ?

The reaction is very different from one country to another. The Canada, for example, has reacted very quickly, not expecting confirmations on the risks we have today, to ban BPA. End 2006, le ministre Clément a déclaré “We are eager to take action on bisphenol A, parce que nous croyons que c’est notre devoir d’assurer que les Canadiens et notre environnement ne sont pas exposés à un produit chimique potentiellement nocif”. In April 2008, the Canada had announced that he wanted to prohibit polycarbonate baby bottles containing BPA. In October 2010, the Canadian Government has stated, Despite pressure from industrial and China, what he added BPA to the list of toxic substances.

The Australia and several U.S. States have also banned BPA.

The Denmark imposed a ban regarding all products for children feeding of 0 to 3 years.

In France, Since 1 January 2011 the manufacture and marketing of baby bottles to BPA are prohibited.

The European Union has decided to ban the production of baby bottles containing bisphenol A in March 2011 and its marketing from June.

Associations mobilized as the League against cancer which brought a petition online by requesting a systematic labelling of bisphenol A and its ban (here).

Why is that different measures moving so slowly ?

Need to find plastic materials (actually) harmless for the body to replace BPA. It is not to replace one toxic chemical agent by another. This slow progress might also be justified, in part, by the various studies on other subjects of substitution.

But it is especially a very large pressure of industrial. Their studies, which are carried out by funded laboratories, assert that BPA is not hazardous to health as shown in M. Welshons and M. Von Saal [4]. 11 studies funded by the chemical industry show no harm while 90% of 104 independent studies show a possible risk. Some groups such as Elipso (a flexible plastic packaging company) or even PlasticsEurope (European Association of producers of plastic) disagree with all these restrictive measures against BPA. Voici ce que l’on peut par exemple lire “[…] health authorities around the world have concluded that the objects and materials made from BPA are safe in their intended use, à la fois pour les consommateurs et les applications industrielles”. Different pressures show that the financial stakes of bisphenol A is great.

Récemment l’WHO (World Health Organization) has said, in a conference with 30 experts in camera, evidence of studies are not sufficient and that the implementation of precautionary public health measures is premature. Here's one talks has delight chemical industries. This was immediately reacted the Environment health network (RES) : “uno such conclusion is very surprising, because it gives the impression that scientific data are lacking. This is not consistent with reality. There are indeed today closely 500 published studies according to the rules of scientific ethics, in refereed journals that is validated by peer”.

What are the precautions that can be taken now ?

– Préférez le conditionnement des aliments/boissons dans des récipients en verre, ceramic or any other case of plastic. So avoid water and sodas in plastic bottles, food packed in plastic packaging and in particular fatty products (ready-cooked meals, fish in oil, etc.)

– Si vous achetez tout de même des bouteilles plastiques : use composed of polypropylene bottles (code 5 ou mention “PP” sur packaging) and non-polycarbonate (code 7 ou mention “PC”) and to a lesser extent code 3 and 6 (see the different plastics in the article Is bottled water dangerous ?)

– Évitez de faire chauffer des récipients en polycarbonate au micro-ondes ou de les laver avec des détergents puissants.

– Évitez les boites de conserves tapissées de résine d’époxy ou limiter tout simplement sa consommation en préférant les produits frais et non préparés.

The effects of BPA on the environment :

Main references

[1]. http://www.fda.gov/newsevents/publichealthfocus/ucm197739.htm [2]. http://www.fertstert.org/article/S0015-0282(10)02587-2/abstract [3]. http://www.inra.fr/presse/bisphenol_a_penetrerait_organisme_par_peau [4]. http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/16256977?dopt=Abstract