Easy BPA Q&A Sheet

HealthyChild.org

What is Bisphenol A or BPA?

Bisphenol A (BPA), a man made chemical, was discovered to be a synthetic version of the hormone estrogen in 1936. Its proposed usage was for help with difficult pregnancies but was replaced when DES, a similar chemical, was found to be more effective. After being given to millions of women, DES was later banned when it was found to cause serious and rare forms of cancer in daughters of DES pregnancies. Hormone-mimicking BPA, is now used as a building block in the creation of clear hard plastics.

What products usually contain Bisphenol A or BPA?

BPA is usually found in clear, hard plastics known as polycarbonate. It is used to make baby bottles, some Nalgene bottles, water bottles, CDs/DVDs, eyeglasses, dental sealants, and in the lining of food and beverage containers (including infant formula cans and other canned goods). Plastics made with BPA usually have the #7 recycling symbol or the letters "PC". Plastics marked with the #5 do not contain BPA.

What is the danger to humans of products containing Bisphenol A or BPA?

BPA, a common component in clear plastics, is a hormone-disrupting synthetic estrogen. According to studies, even at very low doses, BPA's mimicry of estrogen resulted in an array of health maladies including prostate and breast cancer, early onset of puberty, obesity, hyperactivity, lowered sperm count, miscarriage, diabetes, and altered immune system in animal studies. The hormone like chemical could be the reason for overall rates of lower sperm counts, faster onset of puberty, and increased prostate cancer in humans.

Over 150 scientific journals have shown the dangers of small amounts of BPA in lab animals, which is sufficient to show their potential for harm in babies. The Work Group for Safe Markets, a coalition of public health and environmental NGO's, found that 95% of bottles on the market currently contain BPA. All of the brands they tested, Avent, Evenflo, Dr. Brown's and Disney/First Years, leached between 4.7 – 8.3 parts per billion of BPA and were purchased from major stores across the country.

The full study, "Baby's Toxic Bottle: Bisphenol A Leaching from Popular Baby Bottles," is available to download for free on the website. The Canadian version of the study is available at http://www.toxicnation.ca/.

In 2007, a study by the Environment California Research and Policy Center showed that all of the five popular bottle brands they tested leached dangerous levels of BPA. The neural, developmental and reproductive toxin is now shown to leach even more when a hot drink is added. The quantities reached as much as 7.7 parts per billion, while natural human hormones remain active in the body at thousands of times lower than 1 part per billion.

Check out our recommended products section for safer BPA free baby bottles. Safer alternatives include using glass bottles or stainless steel sippy cups. While we recommend avoiding the use of plastic especially for hot foods or drinks, the safest plastic would be marked with the #5.

What are the dangers of plastics?

Plastics pose a considerable health threat as certain types can leech dangerous toxic chemicals such as phthalates and bisphenol-A. The manufacture and disposal of plastics also generates an enormous amount of pollution. It is better if you try to avoid using plastics altogether, but that's a very difficult thing to do given its pervasive presence in modern society. So, at least try to find plastics numbered 1,2,4 or 5 or bio-based plastics made from plants like corn.

PVC, commonly referred to as vinyl, is the most hazardous plastic on the market. PVC is dangerous to human health and the environment throughout its entire life cycle: at the factory, in our homes, and in the trash. Some chemicals that are released during the PVC life cycle are mercury, dioxins, and phthalates, all of which have been proven to be harmful to human health.

Read the October 2007 USA Today article about plastics.

What are phthalates?

Phthalates are a group of hormone-disrupting chemicals commonly found in plastics (especially PVC) as well as in many beauty and personal care products. Pregnant women are the most at-risk, because phthalates can enter the womb and expose the fetus during critical periods of development.

Are all plastic wraps for food including Ziploc type bags, ordinary sandwich bags, saran wrap, etc. made with PVC? Are there any alternatives to these kinds of products that don't use PVC? What kinds of plastics are safer?

No, not all plastic wraps, baggies, etc. are made of PVC plastic. In general, the commercial wraps (used in delis or supermarkets) are the ones most likely to be made from PVC. There are other wraps made from safer plastics available. There are also plastic containers that are safer. Do not use any plastics to heat up foods in the microwave as this encourages the leeching of toxins.