Plastic Container Safety

In order to make plastic containers that will not shatter, and that are clear and durable, industry uses a chemical known as Bisphenol A. This dangerous chemical is also used for epoxy resins, which function as a layer of protection on the inside of food and soda cans.

Health Risks

• Since the mid-1930s, it has been widely known that Bisphenol A binds to the receptors in the human body as estrogen. Studies have shown that this chemical can lead to the growth of cancer cells in the human breast and lower the sperm count in rodents.

Exposure to Bisphenol A

• In 2004, the Centers for Disease Control (CDC) discovered traces of the chemical in almost all urine samples that were gathered to test for chemicals in humans. Levels of Bisphenol A were 1000 times lower than 50 micrograms per day, however, which is regarded as safe by the Environmental Protection Agency. The CDC also found glucuronide, a byproduct of Bisphenol A, in most urine samples, indicating that humans are constantly exposed to the chemical.

Ongoing Studies

• Due to concern expressed by the National Toxicology Program at the Federal Drug Administration and the National Institutes of Health over the impact of Bisphenol A on the prostrate gland and brain in fetuses and children, studies are now focusing on more subtle effects of the chemical. The government of Canada has banned the use of Bisphenol A in baby bottles.