Toxic Nation | Pollution. It's In You.

A news study published in the Journal of the American Medical Association has linked, for the first time, ‘normal’ levels of bisphenol A (BPA) in a large human population with heart disease and diabetes. The researchers found that people with higher concentrations of BPA have close to three times the odds of having heart disease, compared with those with lower levels of BPA. The highest BPA concentrations are also linked to increased chance of diabetes.

This study looked at data collected by the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey in the U.S. (2003-2004) that measured BPA in 1,455 people.

Many people have debated the validity of studies on BPA because they have involved animals. Human organs and endocrine systems are different from those of mice and rats, as well, industry scientists have focused their pro-BPA reports on the fact that many other studies have not been able to directly represent the low-level chronic exposure in humans with animal studies. Evidence of harmful effects in animals exposed to BPA is valuable but has not provided sufficient statistical power to correlate low-dose effects in humans.

Now we need to ask ourselves, how much more evidence does our government need see in order to ban this chemical in food and beverage containers?

“Since worldwide BPA production has now reached approximately 7 billion pounds per year, eliminating direct exposures from its use in food and beverage containers will prove far easier than finding solutions for the massive worldwide contamination by this chemical due its to disposal in landfills and the dumping into aquatic ecosystems of myriad other products containing BPA, which Canada has already declared to be a major environmental contaminant.” (comment by Frederick S. vom Saal, Ph.D., of the University of Missouri)

“The good news is that government action to reduce exposures may offer an effective intervention for improving health and reducing the burden of some of the most consequential human health problems. Thus, even while awaiting confirmation of the findings of Lang et al, decreasing exposure to BPA and developing alternatives to its use are the logical next steps to minimize risk to public health.” (comment by Pete Myers, Ph.D. of Environmental Health Sciences, Charlottesville, Va.)

Read more:

Years of Exposure in BPA Linked to Health Risks in Humans: Study. Tues. Sept. 16, 2008. CBC News.

New Health Risks Linked with Plastic in Bottles. By Lindsey Tanner. Tues. Sept. 16, 2008. Washington Post.