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Bisphenol A (BPA) is a chemical building block used in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. About 95 percent of Americans now harbor traces of BPA in their bodies because the chemical has been so widely used in the manufacture of polycarbonate that is now use in water bottles, baby bottles and other plastic containers. The chemical is also used in making of resin coatings used in canned food linings and in dental sealants. When the concentrations of BPA in humans started reaching levels that produced negative health effects in laboratory studies, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration took notice in 2008 and issued warnings to consumers. Although there are claims that exposure to the current levels of BPA is a negligible human health risk, Japan has stopped using epoxy coatings in food and beverage cans that contain the chemical and companies that use the chemical in plastics are beginning to phase it out because of the growing public concern. An Internet search will provide lots of information on Bisphenol A. |
