On January 15, 2010, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued an update calling for more studies on bisphenol A (BPA) – the chemical most known for its use in the production of plastic baby bottles, reusable cups, recyclable water bottles, and the lining of metal food and beverage containers (including liquid infant formula).
Previous FDA studies from 2008 concluded that low levels of BPA were safe for children and adults. But recent studies are causing new concerns about the effect of BPA on the brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants and young children. Studies in the past have also shown a link between BPA exposure and Type II Diabetes, reproductive and neurological issues.
The FDA and the Department of Health and Human Services Administration (HHS) are working together to study the effects of BPA. The FDA is creating an Interagency Technical Working Group on Children’s Environmental Health that will bring together the expertise of several federal agencies to focus on environmental health risks that effect children.
The National Institutes of Health (NIH) and the National Institutes of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS) are providing $30 million in funding to study BPA. This funding will also be used for the FDA studies and external grants. Results of this research are expected in approximately 18-24 months.
The FDA has issued the following interim steps to help reduce exposure to BPA:
- support industry action to stop manufacturing baby bottles and infant feeding cups that contain BPA for the U.S. market
- facilitate the development of alternatives to BPA for the linings of infant formula cans
- support efforts to replace BPA or to minimize BPA levels in other food can linings
The FDA is seeking to strengthen its oversight of BPA and is looking for public comment and external input of more scientific evidence regarding BPA, as it becomes available.
Bills are currently pending in the House and the Senate that would ban BPA in food and beverage containers across the U.S.
