Controversial Plastic #7

I mentioned in my last blog that I would be tackling plastic #7 separately. The chemical bisphenol A (BPA) is present in many plastic #7 products. BPA was developed in the late 1800's as a synthetic estrogen, but in the 1950's started being used as a plastic-hardening chemical. You will find it in many baby bottles, sippy cups, water bottles, and in epoxy resins found in some food cans and dental sealants. BPA has been a subject of much controversy this year. Dr. Jennifer Sass, a senior scientist in the Natural Resources Defense Council, has stated this about BPA:

Harmful effects in the laboratory animals exposed to even the low levels of BPA that are commonly found in the blood and urine of Americans include an increase in prostate and breast cancer, type 2 diabetes, reproductive abnormalities, reduced semen quality, recurrent miscarriage, obesity, and neurobehavioral problems similar to attention deficit hyperactivity disorder. 1

An FDA draft report on BPA released last Friday, August 15, 2008 has declared the chemical to be safe at typical human exposures. However, testing apparently was funded largely by the industry and therefore is suspect in my opinion. The National Toxicology Program, which reports its findings to the FDA, had not yet released its final report on BPA when the FDA decided to put out its draft report.

I have great concern over the possible danger regarding BPA pointed out by scientists such as Dr. Sass and other independent scientists. I am greatly limiting my exposure to BPA and plastic #7. Take a walk around your grocery store bakery and look at the plastic containers they use. I found #7 everywhere. There is a very helpful website which lists all the companies that make baby bottles and sippy cups, informing you of the level of BPA used in their products. Please check it out for your family. Click here: Z Recommends: The Z Report on BPA In Children's Feeding Products, Third Edition

1 - www.nrdc.org, Press Release August 8, 2007, quote by Dr. Jennifer Sass.