The Household Death Sentence - Bisphenol A (BPA)

I am always in shock at the stupidity of the human race. We view ourselves as the most intelligent species on this planet, yet we somehow manage to lack the necessary foresight that is required to live harmoniously with every living species on this planet - including ourselves!. For example, when you look at political decisions they are always made in hindsight – a reaction to an event. Our actions are a response to a previous mistake.

Now, I am a firm believer in correcting mistakes. However, some mistakes are more lethal than others. For example, we pollute and keep on polluting our environment until someone comes along and says “hey, you’re polluting the environment!”. Then, when only enough people say the same thing do we do anything about it.

Bisphenol A (BPA) is just such an example. It is most probably something you have never heard of, yet it is a part of our everyday lives. BPA is a chemical compound that can be found in cans, plastic containers, toys, and many other products that our scattered throughout our homes. It is mainly used in plastics and can be found in many baby bottles, plates, bowls, baby pacifiers, etc. It is also widely used as a lining in food and beverage cans. I think you get the picture that it is everywhere in our houses.

The danger of Bisphenol A has been well documented, but is vehemently denied by the industry (see www.bisphenol-a.org for their feeble attempt to dismiss the scientific studies that show the dangers of BPA). To highlight this bias, a study was conducted in 2007 that showed that among US government-funded BPA experiments on lab animals and tissues, 153 found adverse effects and only 14 did not. Furthermore, all 13 studies funded by chemical corporations using BPA reported no harm. I think that speaks for itself.

The Journal Of The American Medical Association (JAMA) have published a number of reports showing the toxicity of BPA. Their reports show that BPA concentrations are high in urine samples. Also, they showed that these high urinary concentrations of BPA are linked to increases in heart disease, type-2 diabetes, and abnormal concentrations of liver enzymes.

Researchers from Harvard University’s School of Public Health conducted research on two groups of healthy students. One group was fed freshly made soup daily for five days. The other group was fed soup from cans daily also fro five days. The results were alarming. Those in the fresh soup group had an average BPA level of 1.1 micrograms per litre in their urine. Those in the can soup groups had an incredible 20.8 micrograms per litre – after 5 days! This level would be expected from those whose occupation exposes them to high levels of BPA.

The Breast Cancer Fund conducted a study on six canned foods that were marketed to children. All six makes were positive for BPA. The highest levels were found in two of Campbells products.

What is Bisphenol A?

According to Wikipedia, “Bisphenol A(BPA) is an organic compound… [and] is a colourless solid that is soluble in organic solvents but poorly soluble in water… [It] is used to make polycarbonate polymers and epoxy resins, along with other materials used to make plastics.” (http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A). 

What makes BPA controversial?

It has hormone-like properties and is an endocrine disruptor! That means that it can mimic the body’s own hormones and lead to negative side-effects. And the side-effects are negative!

BPA has been linked to birth defects and neurological problems, especially when exposed in the early stages of foetus development. Studies on rodents who were exposed as foetuses to BPA showed: abnormal weight gain, insulin resistance, prostate cancer, and excessive mammary gland development. In humans, a 2011 US study that looked at the number of chemicals pregnant women are exposed to, found BPA in 96% of the women.

Obesity is another problem, according to a 2008 review which concluded that obesity may be increased as a function of BPA exposure. A later review in 2009 review concluded that being exposed to BPA just before and after birth effects body weight and adiposity.

Neurological and brain impairment has been linked to BPA. The US National Institutes of Health, the US Toxicology Program and the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) are all concerned about BPA’s effect on foetal and infant brain development and behaviour. Even low levels of BPA can cause long-term damage to neurobehavioural development.

Other studies have linked BPA to heart problems, diabetes, cancer, problems with thyroid function, disruption of the dopaminergic system, the reproductive system and sexual behaviour, allergic sensitivity and asthma amongst others. A whole of current research is being undertaken looking at BPA and other effects it could have on our long-term health.

To make matters worse, BPA, in addition to being absorbed by our bodies through diet, can also be absorbed through our skin and through the air. BPA is also present in products like thermal paper and carbonless copy paper. Thermal paper is commonly used in receipts, airline and cinema tickets. It is usually easily absorbed by the body. When you take into account that nearly all our food is packaged in plastic, this is great cause for concern. And if it comes in a can then the chances are BPA will be present too.

And it’s not just people that BPA is affecting. BPA has leached into the water and is affecting aquatic organisms. Research has shown that it is affecting their growth, development and reproduction. It is this that is getting campaign groups worried. However government authorities have been slow to catch on, for a variety of reasons that are not always in the interest of the public.

What is being done about BPA?

Since 2008 BPA’s safety has come under much scrutiny, and several retailers have now started to withdraw polycarbonate products. Canada was the first country to declare it a toxic substance. The European Union has banned it in baby bottles.

The World Health Organisation (WHO) organised an event in 2010 to assess BPA safety. Unfortunately, they recommended not making new regulations or initiating new public health measures as this would be premature. It seems big-business pressured certain governments to cave-in on this issue.

Countries like the UK, Australia, New Zealand, Germany, Netherlands, Switzerland are unconcerned and not taking any action on this issue yet. Give them time, they’ll come around.

Denmark has banned the use of BPA in baby bottles, but this has never been enacted. France, too has banned BPA from baby products. Further amendments are expected in the next few years. Sweden has also banned BPA from baby bottles, and so too has Turkey. To date, Canada has taken the most effective action on BPA by listing it a toxic substance.

Where governments have been slow to act, some companies are taking the lead. The Japanese canning industry voluntarily replaced its BPA products for a BPA-free alternative. Recent studies in Japan have shown a decrease in BPA levels in people. Some German companies have followed suit

 How to identify harmful plastics:

Look at the Recycle Identification Code. It is usually found on the bottom of the product. Watch out “3”, “6” and “7” recycle codes. Some type 3, and 7 plastics may leak BPA. As a guideline 1,2,3,4,5 and 6 don’t leak BPA, but type 6 contains other potentially hazardous chemicals. However, not all plastics marked with 3 or 7 are made with BPA. This is what to look for:

  

            

Remember, plastic is made from oil, so by reducing your plastic consumption you are saving oil supplies. In so doing you will dramatically reduce your carbon footprint. There are plenty of alternatives to plastic. It is only cheap and convenient for the manufacturer - not the consumer! Vote with your feet and move to better, environmentally alternatives.

Tips for a BPA–free life:

•       Look out for BPA-free plastics: Avoid type 7 plastic products: If you have, wash them in lukewarm water with “soft” detergents. Glass and stainless steel are good alternatives to plastic bottles. Avoid aluminium as it has been linked with cancer. Thankfully, now it is now relatively easy to find baby bottles and water bottles that are made from non-BPA plastics and other alternative materials. If in doubt, use glass bottles. A simple “BPA-free” web search will yield many results.  Here’s an example The Titan Water Bottle: 100% BPA-free;

•       Look for BPA -free canned food and drinks: They are out there. Otherwise, keep your consumption of canned food and beverages to a minimum

•       Prepare your meals from unprocessed and fresh produce. If you use tomato sauce, buy it in glass jars. Canned tomato sauce has higher levels of BPA because of the tomatoes’ acidity. Caned fruit is also high in BPA because of its acidity. Buy frozen or fresh fruit and veg – they have more nutrients than canned.

•       Buy drinks in glass bottles. If buying plastic bottled water make sure it is not type 7 plastic. 

•       Grow your own fruit and veg or meat. Go organic!

•       Breastfeed! Many infant formulas (powdered or liquid) come in cans. Liquid formula has been shown to have higher levels BPA than powdered.

•       Never microwave food in plastic containers.

•       Never wash plastics in dishwashers.

•       Never use harsh detergents on plastic products.

•       Stop babies from chewing on plastic toys.

Sources:

       The Daily Health HIS e-Alert (UK edition) 3 Feb 2012 (Agora Health Ltd’s The Health Sciences Institute – daily email newsletter) “A Few More Reasons To Bin The Canned Soup”

       "Association of Urinary Bisphenol A Concentration With Medical Disorders and Laboratory Abnormalities in Adults" Journal of the American Medical Association, Early release article posted 16 September 2008, www.jama.ama-assn.org  
       "Canned Soup Consumption and Urinary Bisphenol A: A Randomized Crossover Trial" Journal of the American Medical Association, Vol. 306, No. 20, November 23 /30, 2011, www.jama.ama-assn.org 
       "BPA levels soar after lunching on canned soup" Karen Rowan, MSNBC, 11/22/11, vitals. www.msnbc.msn.com             

         http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Bisphenol_A

       Ginsberg G, Rice DC. Does Rapid Metabolism Ensure Negligible Risk from Bisphenol A?. EPH. 2009;117(11):1639–1643. doi:10.1289/ehp.0901010.PMID 20049111. PMC 2801165.

        Beronius, A.; Rudén, C.; Håkansson, H.; Hanberg, A. (2009). "Risk to all or none?-A comparative analysis of controversies in the health risk assessment of Bisphenol A". Reproductive toxicology (Elmsford, N.Y.) 29 (2): 132–146. doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2009.11.007.PMID 19931376.

        ScienceDaily. 99% of pregnant women in US test positive for multiple chemicals including banned ones, study suggests; January 14, 2011 [cited 2012-02-01].

          Endocrinetoday.com. Endocrine Society released scientific statement on endocrine-disrupting chemicals; 2009-06-11 [cited 2011-10-23].

         Teeguarden JG, Calafat AM, Ye X, Doerge DR, Churchwell MI, Gunawan R, Graham MK.. Twenty-four hour human urine and serum profiles of bisphenol a during high-dietary exposure. Toxicological Sciences - an official journal of the Society for Toxicology. 2011;125:318-20.

         vom Saal FS. Chapel Hill bisphenol A expert panel consensus statement: integration of mechanisms, effects in animals and potential to impact human health at current levels of exposure. Reprod. Toxicol.. 2007;24(2):131–8. doi:10.1016/j.reprotox.2007.07.005.PMID 17768031.

         Heindel, J.; Vom Saal, F. (May 2009). "Role of nutrition and environmental endocrine disrupting chemicals during the perinatal period on the aetiology of obesity".Molecular and cellular endocrinology 304 (1–2): 90–96.doi:10.1016/j.mce.2009.02.025. ISSN 0303-7207.PMID 19433253

          Somm, E.; Schwitzgebel, V. R.; Toulotte, A.; Cederroth, C.; Combescure, C.; Nef, S.; Aubert, M.; Hüppi, P. (2009). "Perinatal Exposure to Bisphenol a Alters Early Adipogenesis in the Rat". Environmental Health Perspectives 117 (10): 1549–

         Ryan, K.; Haller, A.; Sorrell, J.; Woods, S.; Jandacek, R.; Seeley, R. (2010). "Perinatal Exposure to Bisphenol-A and the Development of Metabolic Syndrome in CD-1 Mice". Endocrinology 151 (6): 2603–2612.doi:10.1210/en.2009-1218. PMC 2875828.PMID 20351315. 

Chemical in Plastic Is Connected to Health Problems in Monkeys. Washington Post. 4 September 2008 [cited 6 September 2008]:A02.

          Kashiwagi, K.; Furuno, N.; Kitamura, S.; Ohta, S.; Sugihara, K.; Utsumi, K.; Hanada, H.; Taniguchi, K. et al. (2009). "Disruption of Thyroid Hormone Function by Environmental Pollutants". Journal of Health Science55 (2): 147. doi:10.1248/jhs.55.147.

         Soto, A. M.; Sonnenschein, C. (2010). "Environmental causes of cancer: endocrine disruptors as carcinogens".Nature Reviews Endocrinology 6 (7): 363–370.doi:10.1038/nrendo.2010.87. PMID 20498677. Lay summary

           http://beefreed.hubpages.com/hub/Bisphenol-A-in-Plastic-Bottles-Play-It-Safe-with-Alternatives

           http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bisphenol-a-47091707

           http://www.miqel.com/reading_library/archived_stories/bpa_food_safety_tips.html