U.S. News & World Report, Deborah Kotz
Published September 29, 2008
When it comes to household health risks, baby bottles made of hard plastic may already be on your radar screen. But how about canned tomatoes and soft drinks? These, too, contain the worrisome chemical bisphenol A--it's found in the substance that coats the inner surfaces of metal cans. And some adults, like infants, may be in harm's way. A landmark study of more than 1,400 adults, published in last week's Journal of the American Medical Association, found that those with the most BPA in their urine had nearly three times the risk of heart disease and more than twice the risk of diabetes as those who had the lowest levels. "Even those with the highest BPA levels still had levels way below the currently established 'safe' level," says study coauthor David Melzer of the University of Exeter in England.
While the report doesn't prove that BPA causes these diseases, it adds strength to previous laboratory findings: One study found that elevated BPA levels trigger an excessive release of insulin in mice, enough to lead to prediabetes. Another, on human fat cells, found that BPA suppresses the release of a heart-protective hormone.
Babies are still thought to be more at risk than adults. Through bottles and formula, they get more BPA exposure on a per-pound basis, says Sarah Janssen, a physician and science fellow at the Natural Resources Defense Council. They also can't metabolize the chemical as quickly, so it accumulates in their bodies, which may pose problems for fragile developing organ systems. The government's National Toxicology Program recently concluded that there's enough evidence to express "some concern" over BPA's detrimental effects on a child's brain and reproductive organs.
Still in use. So why is BPA still allowed in food packaging? While consumer groups have issued calls to ban it, the Food and Drug Administration has declined to do so, declaring last month that "products containing BPA currently on the market are safe and that exposure levels ... are below those that may cause health effects." This decision astounded environmental health activists who accused the FDA of relying on only two studies, both funded by plastic manufacturers, out of more than 700 that have been published.
There's talk in Congress of overriding the FDA policy by passing laws to restrict the use of BPA. Industry representatives, however, argue this isn't the solution: "Acidic foods will corrode the metal of cans, so you have to have a coating in there," says Steven Hentges, a chemist and BPA expert with the American Chemistry Council, a trade group. "Finding an alternative liner that works as well and is safer would not be easy."
Some companies, though, have already responded to consumer demand. Born Free makes plastic, BPA-free baby bottles, CamelBak recently switched over its water bottles, and Eden Foods cans its beans with a plant-based liner. People can also substitute beverages, soups, and vegetables packaged in glass or cardboard containers for those packed in cans, says Sonya Lunder, a senior analyst at the Environmental Working Group. She also recommends using powdered infant formula instead of ready-to-serve liquid. A recent report from EWG found that the former contains less BPA.
