FDA rejects petition to ban BPA in food packaging

Well, if we are willing to destroy our environment in other ways, why worry about this? [sarcastic cynicism]

http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-504763_162-57407289-10391704/fda-rejects-petition-to-ban-bpa-in-food-packaging/

March 30, 2012 4:14 PM

(CBS/AP) BPA, the chemical found in food packaging that has been tied to all sorts of health risks, appears to be here to stay.

The Food and Drug Administration has rejected a petition from environmentalists that would have banned the plastic-hardening chemical all food and drink packaging, including plastic bottles and canned food.

The agency said Friday that petitioners did not present compelling scientific evidence to justify new restrictions on the oft-debated chemical, though federal scientists will continue to study the issue.

[...]

About 90 percent of Americans have traces of BPA in their bodies, mainly because it leaches out of bottles, canned food and other food containers.

A study last November found people who eat a serving of canned soup for five consecutive days could raise their urinary BPA levels by a whopping 1,000 percent.

Some scientists believe exposure to BPA can harm the reproductive and nervous systems, particularly in babies and small children, potentially leading to cancer and other diseases. They point to results from dozens of BPA studies in rodents and other animals.

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"While evidence from some studies have raised questions as to whether BPA may be associated with a variety of health effects, there remain serious questions about these studies, particularly as they relate to humans," the agency said in its response.

The agency's official position is that there is "some concern" about BPA's effects on young children. The government is spending $30 million to conduct additional studies on the chemical's impact on humans. Several federal studies published in the last two years suggest that even human embryos retain far less BPA than other animals.

Last October, a study of pregnant women found BPA exposure while in the womb may disrupt fetal brain development, leading to behavior problems in young girls.

Many companies have already responded to consumer demand by removing BPA from their products. In 2008, Wal-Mart Stores Inc. and Toys "R" Us said they began phasing out bottles, sippy cups and other children's items containing BPA. By the end of 2009, the six leading makers of baby bottles in the U.S. went BPA-free. Earlier this month Campbell's Soup said it would begin removing BPA from its most popular soups, though it did not set a time frame.

But the vast majority of canned goods in the U.S. are still sealed with resin that contains BPA to prevent contamination and spoiling. Canned food manufacturers have used the chemicals since the 1950s, and the practice is approved by the FDA. The chemical industry says BPA is the safest, most effective sealant.

Some manufacturers have begun switching to alternatives. Heinz reportedly uses BPA-free coatings for its Nurture baby formula cans, and ConAgra and General Mills say they have switched to alternative sealants for some canned tomatoes.

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While older children and adults quickly eliminate the chemical through their kidneys, newborns and infants can retain it for longer. Scientists pushing for a ban on the chemical argue that BPA mimics the effects of the hormone estrogen, interfering with growth.

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