BPA Concerns?
1st- What is BPA?
-A compound whose primary function is to make plastics ‘harder’ thus its use in water/sports bottles, baby bottles/sippy cups, dvds, etc.
-Also used to coat cans and in thermal paper, like register receipts.
-Uses #7 in the recycling code
2nd- What’s the harm?
-BPA exhibits estrogen-like, hormone-mimicking properties; i.e. an endocrine disruptor.
-This leads to ‘obesity, reduced brain size, disruption of neural circuits that regulate feeding behavior, thyroid issues, disruption in glucose and lipid metabolism, etc.’
([58] Oppeneer, SJ; Robien, K (July 2015). “Bisphenol A exposure and associations with obesity among adults: a critical review”. Public Health Nutrition (Systematic Review). 18 (10): 1847–63. PMID 25311796. doi:10.1017/S1368980014002213.)
-FDA/EPA has said ‘small doses’ are acceptable however, The European Chemicals Agency went on record in 2017 saying ‘BPA should be listed as a substance of very high concern’.
3rd- What can you do?
-Avoid food/beverage packaged in plastics and cans.
-Use glass/ceramic whenever possible
-Note BPA-free plastics should also be avoided if possible, as they contain similar, though less talked-about compounds (these are labeled with the recycle code numbers #3 PVC and #6 PS — Polystyrene)


