US Government says BPA is harmful

So it is not just concerned parents, half of the US state governments and Canada, now a federal health panel for the US government, Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program, is stepping up saying BPA may in fact cause cancer and other serious disorders.

This article also points out the FDA is under-funded. That really is not good news. With all the food and drug-recalls and now research showing BPA is harmful while the FDA is still claiming its safety – well, that really is not the best news I heard today.

The folks in the plastic industry maintain BPA is safe, but really, don’t they have something to gain by saying so? Kinda reminds me of when the tobacco industry said smoking was good for your health… We now know better.

While the FDA is pointing to studies showing the safety of BPA it is worthy to note that the studies were funded by the plastic industry.

There are numerous independent studies that show BPA is harmful. Why can’t the plastic industry folks just fess up and remove this toxic chemical from its production line, and while they are at it, they can stop the production of #3 (polyvinyl chloride containing phthalates) and #6 (styrofoam containing polystyrene). These all have been shown to threaten human and animal health, and the environment.

There are many articles in the news today talking about the federal health panel’s stance on BPA.

Safety of Water Bottles, Baby Bottles Questioned, ABC News
Reusable plastic water bottles may be good for the environment, but a new study shows they might be bad for your health.  There’s a possibility that the chemical found in plastic water bottles, baby bottles and the lining of many food, drink and baby formula cans could be linked to health problems, including prostate cancer, breast cancer and early-onset puberty, according to a chemical evaluation released Monday night by the Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program.

US Government says BPA may cause cancer, Mom Houston
U.S. Cites Fears on Chemical In Plastics, Washington Post
A federal health panel Tuesday for the first time acknowledged concerns that a chemical found in thousands of everyday products such as baby bottles and compact discs may cause cancer and other serious disorders.

Chemical in plastic may harm human growth, LA Times
A controversial, estrogen-like chemical in plastic could be harming the development of children’s brains and reproductive organs, a federal health agency concluded in a report released Tuesday.

Ignore self-serving industry studies and ban plastics chemical, Mercury News
That day in 1998 in Patricia Hunt’s Washington State University research lab started like any other: scientists hard at work, searching for causes of human pregnancy failure. But then the data suddenly went haywire. Eggs from normal female mice – the controls – began exhibiting striking abnormalities. Hunt had a mystery on her hands. Weeks of reviewing internal protocols finally gave Hunt her answer. The culprit was bisphenol A.

Related articles:

• BPA Free Bottles and Sippy Cups
• Get reports of BPA-free products on your mobile
• Pregnant women told to avoid BPA
• Today Show report on BPA & plastic safety
• BPA may lead to health problems such as obesity and ADD/ADHD
• Whole Foods private label canned food contain BPA
• Canned foods and BPA
• BPA is found in infant formula
• Gerber baby food containers
• BPA and other plastic safety
• Z Recommends: The Z Report on BPA In Infant Care Products, Third Edition
• Environmental Working Group: Guide to Baby Safe Bottles & Formula
• Environmental Working Groups Report on BPA in Baby Formula
• Breastmilk contains stem cells
• Breastmilk cures
• Can breastmilk cure cancer?