Global scientists are calling for a ban of the ubiquitous, estrogenic plastics chemical, <"https://www.yourlawyer.com/practice_areas/toxic_substances">bisphenol A (BPA) from baby food containers and bottles, wrote the Press Association.
Hundreds of studies have linked the ubiquitous chemical to a growing number of diseases and disorders and continue to confirm that BPA appears to cause significant disruption to the body’s endocrine system. BPA has also been linked to cardiovascular disease, intestinal problems, brain cell connection interference, increased risks of reproductive and immune system diseases and disorders, problems with liver function testing, interruptions in chemotherapy treatment, links with serious health problems, and erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in males. In urine tests, BPA is found in the overwhelming majority of Americans, more than 93 percent and, significantly, the chemical is found in 90 percent of all newborns.
BPA performs like the hormone estrogen and as an anti-androgen, which means, even in the smallest of amounts, BPA affects sexual development and processes, especially in the bodies of developing fetuses, infants, and children, explained Science Daily.
In a letter published in The Independent, the experts from Britain, the United States, and Italy are seeking a BPA ban on plastic packaging used in baby products, said the Press Association. The request followed Denmark’s ban of BPA in food containers meant for children age three and under, explained the Press Association, which noted that Denmark is the first country in Europe to issue such a ban.
As we have previously mentioned, Canada was the first country to issue a BPA ban. In addition to Canada and Denmark, three U.S. states have issued bans and France is considering a ban, said the Press Association. Britain’s Food Standards Agency and the European Food Safety Authority have, to date, not taken steps to issue bans.
BPA is a plastic hardener used in polycarbonate manufacturing, and is commonly found in the lining of food and beverage cans, paper receipts, a wide array of plastic products, and resins used in nautical paint. BPA in nautical paint presents an emerging issue because the chemical could be linked to high BPA levels found in “beach sand and coastal seawater†worldwide, said USNews.
Industry has long argued that scientists and advocates exaggerate BPA’s adverse effects, continually citing two industry studies; however, at last count, over 900 peer-reviewed studies found links between BPA and such effects. The recent study, reported Science Daily, found that babies and infants absorb the most BPA with babies being fed with PC bottles being the most significantly and adversely affected.
The recent call for action comes from a group of respected toxicologists and cancer specialists researching the effects of BPA and urging mandates that manufacturers use other plastics writing, “To protect vulnerable populations, we believe it would be both prudent and precautionary in public health terms if products containing BPA used for baby and children’s food and liquid packaging in the UK were withdrawn. BPA should be replaced by less hazardous substances,” quoted the Press Association.
Professor Andrew Watterson, a signer to the letter from the Occupational and Environmental Health Research Group at the University of Stirling, said: “These new studies are significant because they all indicate and confirm the growing body of evidence that suggests BPA is harmful even in minute doses. “The vast majority of scientific studies in the past year or so have confirmed our concerns about BPA, which is why we are in favour of a precautionary and preventative approach to its use. Until we know more about the harm it could be doing we should stop using it, quoted the Press Association.