So far, most of the questions about bisphenol-A have focused on its possible impacts on human heath – particularly unborn and very young children.
But Tuesday’s announcement by the Environmental Protection Agency opens a whole new front. The agency says it will study BPA’s impact on the environment.
BPA is used in many consumer and industrial products. People are most likely to come into contact with it by drinking liquids or eating food from containers that are lined with BPA. That type of BPA is regulated, at the federal level, by the Food and Drug Administration. In January, the FDA said new testing raised questions that even low levels of exposure might effect the brain, behavior, and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children.
Now the EPA tells us there’s a lot more BPA out there. Only 5% of BPA is used in food and drink packaging. Most of it is used in the manufacture of plastics and resins. EPA says more than a million pounds are released into the environment every year.
The agency says it will take the following steps to study bisphenol-A’s environmental impacts.
- Adding BPA to the chemical concern list on the basis of potential environmental effects.
- Requiring information on concentrations of BPA in surface water, ground water, and drinking water to determine if the chemical may be present at levels of potential concern.
- Requiring manufacturers to provide test data to assist the agency in evaluating its possible impacts, including long-term effects on growth, reproduction, and development in aquatic organisms and wildlife.
- Using EPA’s Design for the Environment program to look for ways to reduce unnecessary exposures, including assessing substitutes, while additional studies continue.
- And, continuing to evaluate the potential disproportionate impact on children and other sub-populations through exposure from non-food packaging uses.
BPA was a hot issue in the special session of the Oregon Legislature. The state’s environmental community wanted lawmakers to approve a ban on many types of BPA lined containers. But the bill died after a tied vote in the Senate.
Related Information:
- EPA: Bisphenol A (BPA) Action Plan Summary
- Natural Oregon: Bill Will Protect Oregon Children From Exposure To BPA
- Oregon Environmental Council: Working for an end to BPA exposure
