US to ban controversial chemical Bisphenol A

Three politicians have lodged the Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009 at the Senate in Washington, which would end the use of the additive in plastic packaging and in other food containers such as baby bottles.

Bisphenol A, or BPA as it is commonly known, is a key building block in a number of plastics but debate over its safety for human consumption has been raging for a number of years.

Some studies have linked the substance to conditions such as heart disease and diabetes, although many organisations, including the Food and Drink Federation and the British Soft Drinks Association , have argued that it is safe for use in packaging.

The Food Standards Agency, too, has said that the levels of BPA in plastic products are well below levels considered harmful.

However, the substance has come under fire in particular for its use in baby bottles. Six baby bottle manufacturers last week pledged to stop using the substance in their products in the US, although they will continue to use BPA in their bottles in other markets.

Introducing the bill, Senator Chuck Schumer, one of its sponsors, said: “There have been enough warning signs about the dangers of BPA that we cannot wait to act. It’s better to be safe than sorry.”

In the UK, child safety campaigners have hit out at the decision by the six baby bottle manufacturers  Avent, Disney First Years, Gerber, Dr Brown, Playtex and Evenflo to continue selling bottles containing BPA outside the US.

Belinda Phipps of the National Childbirth Trust told a national newspaper: “Babies are particularly vulnerable. There are now viable alternatives to BPA. There is no reason to continue using it.”

BISPHENOL A
• Bisphenol A is widely used in epoxy lining in food and beverage containers as well as polycarbonate plastics in consumer products
• It is present in 90% of the US population
• In July last year, the European Food Safety Authority found that the human body rapidly metabolises and eliminates BPA and said that exposure to BPA is well below the tolerable daily intake of 0.05 mg/kg previously set by EFSA, even for infants

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