Panel: Chemical In Plastics Isn't A Threat To Most

Dallas Morning News
Published August 8, 2007

A federal advisory panel on Wednesday found no strong evidence of health hazards from a chemical commonly found in plastics, but it left the door open for further investigation. At issue is a chemical called bisphenol A, or BPA, which is in products ranging from baby bottles to the coatings inside food cans. Texas is a major producer of BPA. Some research links the chemical to reproductive abnormalities and other health problems in animals. That and widespread exposure to the plastic prompted the National Toxicology Program to appoint an expert panel to review the science. The panel found little if any reason for concern for the general population. But when it came to exposure for fetuses or young children, the panel found what it called "some concern" about links to neural or behavioral problems, ranking the evidence midway on a five-step scale, said Michael Shelby, the toxicology program's risk-evaluation chief. The National Toxicology Program, a division of the National Institutes of Health, will review the findings and open them for public comment before making a final determination. That scientific review then is used by regulatory agencies in setting safety standards. A representative of the industry hailed the findings. "I think this panel expressed the clear view that there are very minimal concerns about the safety of this chemical," said Steven Hentges, a spokesman for the chemical industry trade group American Chemistry Council. Critics denounced the findings Wednesday. "The panel ignored a large body of independent, peer-reviewed scientific research endorsed by the world's leading experts on the impacts of BPA exposure," said Dr. Anila Jacob, a physician on the staff of the Environmental Working Group, an advocacy organization. She said the original draft of the panel's report, written by a private contractor who since has been fired for conflict of interest, was an "error-riddled, industry-influenced" document.