Is the BPA in plastic actually bad for your health?
We all know that plastic is bad for the environment. Scientists estimate that eight metric tons of new plastics end up in our ocean every year, adding to the 150 million that are already floating about in the water, killing marine life and taking hundreds of years to decompose.
It only took that episode of Blue Planet (remember the albatross parents unwittingly feeding their chicks discarded plastics?) to mobilise thousands of TV watchers to cut down on the amount of takeaway cups, water bottles and single-use products used on a daily basis.
But as well as being bad for the planet, there’s a growing body of evidence to suggest that plastic may also be bad for our health too.
Some experts claim that the materials used to create most common plastics are toxic, and that we should try to avoid using them – but should we actually be concerned?
What’s so bad about plastic anyway?
It’s all down to a chemical called BPA. Since the 1960s, we’ve been adding this industrial compound to plastic to create something called ‘polycarbonate plastic’ – the robust and hard-wearing material that’s used in everything from baby bottles to lunchboxes.
BPA is also used to make something called ‘epoxy resins’. They’re used to create the smooth inner lining of canned foods like baked beans, which keeps the metal from corroding over time.
As well as foods, it’s also found in many feminine hygiene products, nappies, household electronics, CDs and DVDs and bathroom toiletries.
BPA is used in many lunchboxes
It’s no surprise then that BPA is now one of the most commonly produced chemicals in the world, although its wide use has recently been thrown into question by mounting health concerns.
This is why you might have started to spot more ‘BPA-free’ labels on products in the supermarket over the past year or so.
How does BPA get into my system?
BPA is ingested or absorbed through skin contact, and studies have found that the main source of exposure is through eating foods that have been packaged in plastic containers – think, the tomatoes and avocados you pick up in the veg aisle of supermarkets.
The chemical leaches out of packaging and into food and drink, especially when the plastics are scratched or heated during cooking and in the dishwasher.
Because of this, it’s not unusual for many of us to have BPA in our bodies on a daily basis. In fact, a recent study by Exeter University suggested that traces of the synthetic chemical can be found in more than 80% of UK teenagers.
BPA can leach into food
What does the evidence against BPA say?
The science is not yet completely clear on how BPA may affect humans. The most worrying thing though is that it has been found to be an Endocrine Disrupting Chemical (EDC). Some studies have found that these qualities cause it to mimic the female hormone oestrogen and can bind to the oestrogen receptors in a cell.
Scientists believe that this oestrogen-like behaviour could increase the risk of breast, prostate, and other cancers in people who were exposed to it in the womb.
Those calling for a ban suggest that it may affect development of mammary glands in women, as well as contributing to type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular problems.
Some experts have also warned that children and pregnant women are particularly susceptible to damage from the chemical, because they have more growth and developmental hormones in their bodies than other age group. As such, the EU, Canada and some American states have already banned the use of BPA in baby feeding bottles.
The EU has already banned the use of BPA in baby bottles
So should you actually avoid it?
The Food Standards Agency suggest not. Despite acknowledging that “uncertainties” remain around the potential health effects of BPA on the mammary gland, reproductive, metabolic, neurobehavioural and immune systems, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) says that it has assessed the evidence and found that dietary exposure to BPA is not a health concern for any age group.
“Scientists estimate how much of a chemical people can consume daily over their lifetime without being harmed by it,” the Food Standards Agency says. “This is known as the chemical’s tolerable daily intake (TDI). BPA has a temporary TDI set for it.”
Ready-meals being manufactured in a high speed food factory
“We currently consume less than the TDI for BPA from sources such as food containers. We agree with the EFSA’s conclusion that BPA currently poses no risk to health.”
The National Toxicology Programme (NTP) in the US also recently conducted a long-term study on BPA, looking at the effects of exposure to BPA in rats – before and after giving birth.
The researchers specifically wanted to find out if BPA could increase the risk of cancer in humans. The landmark two-year research programme, which published its results last month, concluded that the plastic additive isn’t a health our threat.
“The scope and magnitude of this study are unprecedented for BPA, and the results clearly show that BPA has very little potential to cause health effects, even when people are exposed to it throughout their lives,” said Steven Hentges from the American Chemistry Council.
BPA-free living
Plasticisers and BPA have been used in household products for more than 50 years, our supermarkets are drowning in them, so it’s pretty difficult to avoid them and live a non-reclusive lifestyle. That being said, occasionally drinking from a plastic bottle or eating from a can is probably not a reason to panic.
If you’re still concerned though, there are ways that you can cut down on your BPA intake, help the environment and generally live a healthier lifestyle at the same time.
Shopping for unpackaged foods at organic fruit and veg shops, butchers, fishmongers and farmers markets can reduce contact with the plastic containers you find in meats, fish and loose produce at the supermarket.
Avoiding processed foods, like ready meals, can cut down on leached BPA exposure, while using a reusable tote bag for your shopping will cut down on the amount of plastic bags you use (and save you money in the long run).
Carry a metal water bottle and store food in glass containers, opt for plastic-free toiletries in the bathroom (Lush have a whole range of solid shampoo bars and body washes) and there are also plenty of BPA-free feminine hygiene products on the market (check out yoppie.com for organic, biodegradable tampons).
The US Department of Health and Human Services has published BPA information for parents on reducing their child’s exposure.
The choice, as ever, is up to you, but more is discovered about the impact of plastic, we’re sure that this isn’t the last we’ll hear about BPA.
The Press Association
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