Bisphenol A (BPA) is it really bad for your health ?

This time no one can ever bury his head in the sand. The french Food Safety, Environment and Labour Agency (ANSES) released a report today that leave no doubt on adverse effects of Bisphenol A (BPA). The Agency concludes that there are proven effects in animals and suspected in humans, even at low exposure levels. So much so that the Agency will transmit its findings to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to help decide wether the european reference levels of exposure should be changed or not, since they do not effectively protect the population, today, especially the children and pregnant women.

BPA is suspected of several deleterious effects in humans: impaired female fertility, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In animals, several effects are proven: precocious sexual maturity, lesions of the mammary glands, impaired sperm production… In the report, ANSES has compiled a list of product families that could contain BPA (which does not mean that all of them do!). There are obviously products made after polycarbonate, as the BPA is used to produce it: CDs, DVDs, lenses, glasses, dishes and bottles, lamps and appliances (microwaves, kettles, hair dryers), devices in the medical (dyalizer, blood oxygenators, respirators…), sports goods, automotive products, plastic floor coverings, cans and tins, inks and thermal papers (including cashier receipts) and many resins…

Now the ball is on the side of health authorities, which will have to compile the products that could contaminate the general population, and perhaps people involved in the manufacture of these products. And manufacturers will have to find a substitute to BPA, especially to protect cans from corrosion. Anses launched a call for papers, to identify the best substitutes.

For more information

• The comprehensive article published by Le Monde daily news (in french)
• The complete report, in french, from the Anses (list of products that may contain BPA starts from page 345 of the document)

Par Denis Delbecq 

 Posted in sept. 27, 2011 [Cet article est aussi disponible en français]

See too :

– Questions and Answers about Bisphenol A

– Canada Lists Bisphenol A as a Toxic Substance and W.H.O Still Not Convinced.

NTP Conclusions

Listen to NTP Speak on BPA

Mike Shelby, Ph.D.

Mike Shelby, Ph.D.
NTP Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (CERHR)

Dr. Shelby discusses reasons for NTP review of BPA.  (322KB)

Dr. Shelby describes how BPA gets into the body.  (540KB)

Dr. Shelby describes challenges in evaluating BPA.  (627KB)

More last studies :

  • 31 Aug, 2011:
    Japanese authorities: BPA does not pose a significant risk to human health
    The Japanese National Institute for Advanced Industrial Science and Technology has updated its human health risk assessment of BPA. It reconfirmed that BPA does not pose a significant risk to human health. Read more here.
  • 15 Jul, 2011:
    24-Hour Human Urine and Serum Profiles of Bisphenol A During High Dietary Exposure (Teeguarden et.al.) – published in Toxicological Sciences
    The results of a new FDA study investigating the actual dietary exposure to BPA in humans were published in June. They reconfirm that BPA is efficiently metabolized and rapidly excreted via urine. To read the abstract of the study, click here.
  • 26 Jun, 2011:
    Migration of bisphenol A from cash register receipts – Danish EPA
    The Danish Environmental Protection Agency has concluded that BPA in paper receipts does not pose a risk to consumers or cashiers who handle the receipts. Even if they are pregnant, and even when taking into account the potential BPA exposure from food. To view the report, click here.
  • 07 Apr, 2011:
    German Society of Toxicology study on Bisphenol A
    At the beginning of April, the German Society of Toxicology has concluded that the current TDI for BPA is adequately justified, and that BPA exposure represents no noteworthy risk to the health of the human population, including newborns and babies. To read the abstract of the study, click here.
  • 10 Nov, 2010:
    Joint FAO/WHO Expert Meeting on BPA
    In November 2010, over 30 experts attended a joint FAO/WHO meeting to review toxicological and health aspects of BPA. The summary report containing the collective views of an international group of experts can be consultedhere.
  • 30 Sep, 2010:
    2010 EFSA Scientific Opinion on Bisphenol A
    EFSA has evaluated a dietary developmental neurotoxicity study in rats (Stump, 2009) and recent scientific literature (2007-2010) on BPA. Overall, based on the comprehensive evaluation of recent toxicity data, the EFSA-expert Panel concluded that no new study could be identified, which would call for a revision of the current TDI. To view the report, click here.
  • 01 Sep, 2010:
    Austrian food and health safety agency publishes migration tests of BPA from baby bottles
    The Austrian Food Safety Agency (AGES) has examined plastics baby bottles for migration of BPA. The results of this tests show that migration values are far below the specific migration limit of 0,6 mg/kg food. To view AGES statement, click here.