Bisphenol-A: Poisoning Infants and Adults at Record Levels

Bisphenol-A (BPA) turns up in the news more than Lindsay Lohan these days. Recent reports indicate that the hormone-disrupting chemical can be found in everything from credit card receipts to canned foods to baby bottles. A new study shows just how ubiquitous — and dangerous — the chemical can be for people.

According to a New York Times story, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) says that it's OK for people to take in 50 micrograms of BPA per kilogram of body weight each day. That amount sounds like a lot, especially considering the fact that the jury is still out on whether any amount of BPA is safe for humans. But here's the real scary part: According to a new study published in the journal Environmental Health Perspectives, every day, people are exposed to at least eight times more than the amount of BPA that the EPA considers safe. We're talking exposure levels of more than 400 micrograms per kilogram of body weight!

For sustainable foodies, the study's findings may read like kind of a no-brainer. After all, BPA turns up in virtually every processed item Americans purchase on a regular basis. The chemical is found in the lining of canned foods (even those labeled organic), receipts, some plastic food packaging, and even baby bottles and infant formula. Given the chemical's presence in food packaging, Americans' groceries are literally marinating in the stuff as they sit on store shelves.

Just as BPA is found in more and more food products, studies show that it's linked to an increasing number of health problems. Research indicates that the endocrine-disrupting chemical may contribute to cancers, diabetes, behavioral abnormalities, heart disease, and early-onset puberty. Back in January, even the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) admitted that there may be a cause for concern when it comes to BPA. (And for those following the hearings on approving genetically engineered salmon, you know consumer safety isn't exactly a priority for the FDA).

As Republicans and food industry executives are quick to point out, there's no definitive proof linking BPA to the host of medical maladies it reportedly contributes to. And they're right — the scientific jury really is still out on just how big of an impact BPA has on human health. But if we can't be sure of a chemical's safety, it's got no business being in our food supply — especially in products fed to infants and children.

Senator Dianne Feinstein proposed an amendment to the FDA Food Safety Modernization Act that would ban BPA in food and beverage packaging geared towards infants and young children. While this bill remains stalled in the Senate, it's important that it passes in order to create a safer food system, including limiting BPA's use. Sign this Consumers' Union petition asking your senators to make sure this bill gets passed.

Photo credit: tandemracer via Flickr