Bisphenol A (BPA) News and Research

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Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical produced in large quantities for use primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. Polycarbonate plastics have many applications including use in some food and drink packaging, e.g., water and infant bottles, compact discs, impact-resistant safety equipment, and medical devices. Epoxy resins are used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, bottle tops, and water supply pipes. Some dental sealants and composites may also contribute to BPA exposure.

Researchers discover new gene regulation, DNA behavior of breast cancer cells

Cancer researchers have discovered a previously unknown type of gene regulation and DNA behavior in breast cancer cells that may lead to better insight about environmental exposure to estrogen-like compounds. A new study, published in the journal Genome Research by researchers at The Ohio State University Comprehensive Cancer Center-Arthur G. James Cancer Hospital and Richard J. Solove Research Institute (OSUCCC-James), provides the first evidence that cells can regulate many genes at once by looping their DNA, contributing to cancer when it goes awry. In this study, the gene regulation was discovered in breast cancer cells as a response to the hormone estrogen and resulted in the silencing of 14 genes at one time.

20 Jul 2010

Bisphenol A (BPA) containing baby bottles to be phased out

Federal Parliamentary Secretary for Health Mark Butler has announced that following public concern and a safety review ordered by US health regulators, the phase out will begin from today. He also revealed that according to Food Standards Australia New Zealand intake levels are very low and do not pose a risk to babies' health.

1 Jul 2010

Women with PCOS may be more vulnerable to BPA exposure: Study

Women with the polycystic ovary syndrome, the most common hormone imbalance in women of reproductive age, may be more vulnerable to exposure to the chemical bisphenol A, found in many plastic household items, according to a new study. The results will be presented Sunday at The Endocrine Society's 92nd Annual Meeting in San Diego.

22 Jun 2010

Health Canada releases survey results of BPA exposure levels in canned foods

As part of its research commitment on bisphenol A, Health Canada released today the results of a new survey of BPA exposure levels in a variety of canned foods. The results from this latest government survey provide confirmation that foods packaged in BPA epoxy resin coated metal cans do not pose a health risk.

2 Jun 2010

Exposure in womb to BPA, DES increase offspring's risk of breast cancer

Exposure in the womb to chemicals like Bisphenol-A (BPA) and Diethylstilbestrol (DES) can increase an offspring's risk of breast cancer, researchers at Yale School of Medicine report in a study published in current issue of Hormones and Cancer, a journal of The Endocrine Society.

29 May 2010

Researchers describe carcinogenic effects of EDCs

Longtime environmental health researchers at Tufts University School of Medicine describe the carcinogenic effects of endocrine-disrupting chemicals, ubiquitous chemicals that have hormone-like effects in the body. In a review article published online May 25 in Nature Reviews Endocrinology, the researchers express the need for more complex strategies for studying how these chemicals affect health but report that ample evidence already supports changing public health and environmental policies to protect the public from exposure to EDCs.

26 May 2010

Women exposed prenatally to BPA or DES at increased risk of breast cancer: Study

A study in mice reveals that prenatal exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals, like bisphenol-A and diethylstilbestrol, may program a fetus for life. Therefore, adult women who were exposed prenatally to BPA or DES could be at increased risk of breast cancer, according to a new study accepted for publication in Hormones & Cancer, a journal of The Endocrine Society.

21 May 2010

Dangers of BPA: South Florida children need protection

Something must be done to protect the children of South Florida from this dangerous chemical says one student ready to bring the facts to the Broward County Commission. The government's recent announcement that the EPA is considering the addition of Bisphenol-A (BPA) to their list of "Chemicals of Concern," is a step in the right direction, but long overdue, according to high school junior and BPA researcher, Wendi Oppenheim.

12 Apr 2010

UK researchers receive grant to study link between manmade chemicals and heart disease

The British Heart Foundation is to fund research exploring the link between Bisphenol A (BPA), a manmade chemical found in commonly used plastics, and heart disease.

2 Apr 2010

EPA's Action Plan on BPA: ACC issues statement

The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) today released an Action Plan on bisphenol A (BPA).

30 Mar 2010

Altuglas International launches new acrylic resins for medical devices applications

Altuglas International, a world leader in acrylic plastics, has expanded its family of Medical grade acrylic resins, with Altuglas® CR30 and Altuglas® CR50 impactmodified grades. These resins, feature exceptional alcohols and lipids resistance that reduces environmental stress cracking due to attack of aggressive drugs and disinfectants. These novel acrylic resins are designed for easy injection molding of complex multi-cavity parts.

25 Mar 2010

BPA potentially puts developing infants as well as fetuses at risk, say researchers

Swiss researchers examining exposure pathways for a common chemical used in plastic containers and linings of cans find infants have the highest estimated levels of Bisphenol A (BPA), with exposures falling with rising age. While estimated levels are well below the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) set by European authorities, the findings are important in that BPA is thought to impact human development and is classified as an endocrine disrupting chemical, potentially putting developing infants at risk, as well as fetuses if pregnant mothers are exposed.

10 Mar 2010

Exposure to BPA during pregnancy causes permanent abnormalities in uterus of offspring

Researchers at Yale School of Medicine have discovered that exposure during pregnancy to Bisphenol A (BPA), a common component of plastics, causes permanent abnormalities in the uterus of offspring, including alteration in their DNA. The findings were reported in the March issue of Journal of the Federation of American Societies for Experimental Biology.

8 Mar 2010

BPA exposure during pregnancy may cause permanent reproduction problems for female offspring

Here's more evidence that "safe" plastics are not as safe as once presumed: New research published online in The FASEB Journal suggests that exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy leads to epigenetic changes that may cause permanent reproduction problems for female offspring. BPA, a common component of plastics used to contain food, is a type of estrogen that is ubiquitous in the environment.

26 Feb 2010

Patented chemical derived from sugar may be an alternative for BPA

Michael Jaffe, a professor of biomedical engineering at NJIT, has received a patent for a chemical derived from sugar. This new material is a derivative of isosorbide and may be able to replace bisphenol A (BPA) in a number of consumer products, including the lining of tin cans.

25 Feb 2010

Cal-EPA intents to add BPA to state's list of chemicals known to cause cancer

The California Environmental Protection Agency signaled intent to add bisphenol A (BPA) to the state's list of chemicals known to cause cancer or birth defects, adding to evidence the chemical should be banned from food and beverage containers.

12 Feb 2010

Long-term harmful effects of BPA exposure: Cereplast lauds FDA's demand for additional study

Cereplast, Inc., manufacturer of proprietary bio-based sustainable plastics, applauds the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for demanding increased study of the long-term effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure.

2 Feb 2010

Pretreating BPA plastic may be the key to dispose waste in an eco-friendly way

Just as cooking helps people digest food, pretreating polycarbonate plastic - source of a huge environmental headache because of its bisphenol A (BPA) content - may be the key to disposing of the waste in an eco-friendly way, scientists have found. Their new study is in ACS' Biomacromolecules, a monthly journal.

29 Jan 2010

FDA admits concern, but does not ban BPA: Consumers Union disappointed

Consumers Union, the nonprofit publisher of Consumer Reports, expressed disappointment with the U.S. Food & Drug Administration's (FDA) failure to ban the chemical bisphenol A (BPA), despite announcing today that there is cause for concern over its potential effect on children. Consumers Union believes that that there is enough scientific evidence to date to warrant a ban on BPA in food contact products now.

18 Jan 2010

Health hazards of BPA: Call for FDA to make its announcement before Christmas

Environmental health advocates hope that U.S. FDA will make its promised announcement about health hazards of bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic sex hormone linked to cancer, behavioral changes, reproductive harm and other illnesses, in time for Christmas.

15 Dec 2009