Will BPA ever be banned?

And people wonder why there are so many conspiracy theorist and why some people question the tactics of governmental agencies. Science proved this chemical could be harmful to kids YEARS AGO. Now the FDA is finally acknowledging that, but they still won't ban it. How many studies need to be done before we start taking this chemical out of our food supply?

FROM NBC:The Environmental Protection Agency has added BPA -- a compound in many household products -- to its list of "chemicals of concern." BPA is used as an additive in plastics. it's also used in soda cans and food containers. Animal studies have suggested BPA may be behind some cancer and heart disease cases, and f-d-a officials say the chemical is of "some concern" to infants and children, but that more studies are needed. Adding BPA to the EPA's "chemicals of concern" list will not spark any new regulation, but it will lead to further testing of BPA exposure in animals. Representatives from the American Chemical Council say studies have confirmed BPA is not a risk to the environment at the current low levels.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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BPA and Major Health Problems

I was the lady in this story a few years ago. I remember my husband was so irritated when I threw out all the plastic plates/bowls and cups. Now we have replaced most of them with BPA free stuff. I am glad. I DO think it's a big deal.

FROM NBC: More and more food manufacturers say they're trying to get rid of a toxic substance called bisphenol a -- or BPA. It's found in some food packaging, hard plastics and all sorts of consumer items... and now, federal health officials are warning, it could be linked to some major health problems.

"We literally emptied all of our kitchen cabinets of the various plastic products we had." Like most parents, Mauri Ziff doesn't want to take any chances when it comes to the health of her children. That's why the mother of two scoured her kitchen cupboards to get rid of any containers that might contain BPA. Mauri Ziff/Combating BPA In Kitchen "I find it really disturbing that the chemicals are leaching into our food." But it might be too little, too late.

Jane Houlihan with the Environmental Working Group says BPA was approved by the Food and Drug Administration 50 years ago and it's been in our food supply ever since. It wasn't until last month that the agency even acknowledged that the chemical could be poisonous. Jane Houlihan/Environmental Working Group "It's really been in the last 10 years that we've seen an explosion of studies showing that BPA is very toxic at very low doses."

Studies show BPA is already in most of us. The Centers for Disease Control found the chemical in 93 percent of the Americans they tested. Last year - The D.C. based environmental working group tested the cord blood of 10 newborn babies. BPA was present in 9 of them. Houlihan: "That's proof positive that this chemical crosses the placenta and enters children even before the moment of birth." While there have been more than 600 studies documenting BPA's effects on laboratory animals, Houlihan says newer research on humans is finding definitive evidence that the chemical can make people sick. "

What these studies show is that BPA at high, but still normal levels, shows higher risks for heart disease, diabetes, reproductive problems, recurrent miscarriages, a really wide range of health risks in studies in people." The problem is BPA mimics estrogen when it gets into the body. Houlihan says those extra hormones can affect a child's development. But despite all the evidence, manufacturers are still struggling to get it out of our food supply. That's because BPA hides in many places. It's not just hard plastics. It's in the liners of food cans and even on paper receipts.

Mauri Ziff is now trying to avoid canned foods when possible and all of her containers are BPA free. But she worries that it's too late. "I'm angry because I feel like as soon as they found this out, they should have done things to stop it and even though they're doing things now, it's still taking a long time. They need to do it and make things safer." A lot of food manufacturers are working on new types of packaging that doesn't have BPA in it. but finding an inexpensive solution is tough, so it's going to take some time.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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BPA is still everywhere!

I feel like a broken record. It is hard to believe BPA is still on the market in so many plastic and food items. Here is the latest story from NBC. It makes me furious that I interview a lead researcher on BPA YEARS AGO who said it should be taken out of all food items. Yet his research is just now coming to light. How aggravating! Here's the link to my interview with Professor Frederick Vom Saal.

FROM NBC: Officials from the department of health and human services say the chemical Bisphenol-A might not be safe for young children -- and will invest 30-million dollars into more research on potential health concerns.

Bisphenol-A, or BPA, is a chemical used in plastics. It's found in water bottles, the lining of cans and many other household items. it's also found in some baby bottles and sippy cups.

The new stance represents a reversal from previous language from the Food and Drug Administration, which stated BPA is safe at low levels. The shift is partially based on a 2008 report from the national toxicology program that raised concerns that b-p-a might affect brain development, behavior and the prostate gland.

Because of this, there's been growing concern in recent years about BPA exposure among babies and young children. But while many manufacturers have introduced BPA-free bottles and sippy cups, the chemical is still found in the lining of some pre-mixed liquid formula containers.

Until more research is conducted, health officials say the benefits of using formula outweigh any potential risks from BPA exposure. the chemical is not usually found in the powdered formula containers, according to the FDA.

Meanwhile -- there are some things parents can do to reduce their child's exposure to BPA. the HHS recommends throwing out scratched and worn baby bottles and cups, which could release small amounts of BPA.

Also -- some studies have suggested BPA can leach into food and drinks when plastic containers are heated. officials recommend against heating up breast milk or formula, or adding boiling water to any containers that have BPA.

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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BPA Re-evaluated

Many plastic baby bottles, utensils, plates, etc. are now Bisphenol A free after studies in animals showed the chemical in plastic may cause developmental delays in kids, among other things. Now a new study shows the chemical is causing erectile dysfunction in men who work in these plastic factories. The FDA is supposed to be re-evaluating the safety of BPA and could put bans in place after their new stance is revealed. The word could come in the next few weeks.

It seems to be pretty easy to find baby/toddler supplies that are BPA free, but I haven't found much when it comes to regular sized plates/cups. I just bought some new Munchkin plates,bowls and cups at Wal-mart. They are working out great so far. I just wish the plates were a little larger.

I interviewed a researcher last year who discovered the potential risks of BPA. Here's a link to his eye-opening findings.

FROM CNN: Bisphenol-A, a chemical found in hard, clear plastic used to make everything from baby bottles to food packaging, may increase the risk of erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in male factory workers exposed to large amounts of the substance, according to a study conducted in China.

The health effects of BPA have been hotly debated; although some studies have linked BPA to a risk of brain damage, birth defects, hyperactivity, heart disease, early puberty, obesity, and prostate cancer, other research suggests that the low level of exposure from plastics doesn't pose a health risk to adults. (The picture is less clear for children.)

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is also in the midst of reconsidering its stance on BPA. In August 2008, largely on the basis of research funded by the chemical industry, the agency issued a draft assessment on the safety of BPA in food packaging, concluding that "an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA at current levels of exposure" from those sources.

The FDA report caused an uproar in the scientific community and was soon contradicted. The National Toxicology Program (NTP), a federal agency that advises the FDA on chemicals and other environmental toxins, released its own report expressing "some" concern about the potential effects of BPA on the brains, behavior, and prostate glands of fetuses, infants, and children, as well as "minimal" concern about earlier puberty for girls.

The NTP classified its concerns over reproductive effects from workplace BPA exposure as "minimal."

Soon after, the FDA's own Science Board released a report that cited the FDA's exclusion of a large number of animal studies on BPA, and concluded that the agency may have overestimated the safety of the chemical. Following the release of these reports and a spate of media attention, the FDA announced that it would reconsider its assessment. In mid-August 2009, the agency indicated that it will continue to review the research on BPA effects in humans and will "decide next steps" by the end of November 2009.

So has anyone found adult sized plastic cups/plates that are BPA free?

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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Bisphenol A not safe again!

Mommy instinct prevails! Most of you were not convinced bisphenol A is safe in baby bottles and other plastic even though the FDA said otherwise. Now, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration is changing its tune.

From the Washington Post: A U.S. Food and Drug Administration advisory panel agreed Friday that the agency had erred in August when it said that a chemical widely used in baby bottles and other plastic packaging for foods and beverages posed no health risks.

On Wednesday, a panel of toxicology experts said the FDA hadn't properly assessed the potential health risks posed by the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), which some studies have linked to cancer, diabetes, heart disease and developmental delays in children. The toxicologists said the FDA had relied too heavily on studies funded by the chemical industry to make its decision, and had failed to consider other studies that questioned the safety of BPA.

The panel of toxicologists had been convened by the FDA after the agency ruled that BPA was safe at current exposure levels -- a stance that prompted criticism from some lawmakers and consumer groups. On Friday, the FDA's Science Board, which consists of scientists from academia, government and industry and advises the FDA commissioner, seconded the toxicologists' concerns about the FDA's August ruling. The issue will now go to FDA Commissioner Dr. Andrew von Eschenbach. It's unclear how the FDA might respond, the Washington Post reported.

"Let me be clear: There's no shame for having" your hypothesis disproved, von Eschenbach said during Friday's session, referring to BPA without mentioning it by name, the Dow Jones news service reported.

The FDA's position on BPA has been controversial because it contradicted more than 100 studies, as well as a finding by the U.S. National Toxicology Program, that there was "some concern" that BPA may affect the brain and behavioral development in fetuses, infants and small children, the Post said.

Norris Alderson, associate commissioner for science at the FDA, toldDow Jonesthat the agency will probably start research early in 2009 to determine the toxic effects of BPA on babies less than 1 month old. Babies are considered the most susceptible group to BPA's effects. It's unclear when those studies would be done, the news service said.

In September, a study published in the Journal of the American Medical Associationsaid that people with high levels of BPA were more likely to have heart disease, including heart attack, or diabetes. High BPA levels increased the risk for these diseases by 39 percent, the researchers reported. To learn more about BPA, visit Environment California.

SOURCES: Hugh S. Taylor, M.D., director of the Division of Reproductive Endocrinology and Infertility, and professor of obstetrics and gynecology, Yale University School of Medicine, New Haven, Conn.; American Chemistry Council, news release, Oct. 31, 2008;Washington Post;Dow Jones

From what I know about this, this is unacceptable. The reason the FDA was looking into bispehol A in the first place is because of those 100 or so studies. So why in the world didn't they look at those studies before saying it was safe? There is no excuse for this. The evidence was there the first time. Why did they do such a poor job assessing the information that existed? Were they just in a hurry or what? I don't like this. If anyone has some insight for me, please share!

-NewsAnchorMom Jen

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