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Chemical Warrants Regulation |
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Written by Hartford Courant
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Wednesday, 15 August 2007 |
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A panel of scientists has found there's "some concern" bisphenol-A, an estrogen-like compound used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins, poses a risk to brain development in babies and children. That finding sounds a little muted, but its implications are sweeping.
Bisphenol-A, or BPA, has been around for 50 years and is one of the most widely used chemicals in the world. It's found in all polycarbonate baby bottles. Clear, lightweight, and heat- and shatter-resistant, the plastic is also used in large water-cooler containers, eyeglasses, bullet-resistant glass, bicycle helmets, reusable sports bottles, dental sealants for children and microwave dishes. It's also used in the epoxy resins lining cans of food.
What is surprising is that the findings announced last week mark the first time any government - here or abroad - has officially even considered the question whether BPA should be regulated.
 The findings were reached by 12 scientists on behalf of the National Institutes of Health and are based on a review of 500 animal studies (there are no studies involving BPA's effects on humans). Those studies suggest that exposing fetuses and babies to relatively low levels of the chemical could lead to learning problems and hyperactivity, prompting the panel to express "some concern" about BPA's health effects.
Earlier this month, a separate panel consisting of several dozen scientists - including four from federal agencies - delivered a much harsher verdict. In a statement published in the journal Reproductive Toxicology, the panel concluded that studies show BPA is also likely to cause an array of reproductive disorders, including uterine damage in newborns, early-stage prostate and breast cancers, and low sperm counts.
Representatives for the plastics industry dismiss such studies as inconclusive and flawed. Environmentalists say the risks are real and unacceptable.
All of which leaves consumers bobbing around in a dark sea of doubt.
A few things are certain. BPA's prevalence and its link to public health concerns warrant extensive study of the chemical's effects on humans. Also, that the existing science on the chemical's link to potential developmental problems in babies and children appears firm enough to warrant federal regulation.
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