Federal Legislation to Ban Bisphenol A in Food Containers
 Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) and Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) introduced in March the Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2009, which would ban bisphenol A (BPA) from food and beverage containers, including cans and plastic containers, and make sure any replacements for BPA are safe. The Breast Cancer Fund worked closely with the legislators to help craft a strong bill that protects us and our children from future breast cancer risk.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is an estrogenic chemical that not only elevates breast cancer risk, but also interferes with chemotherapy treatment for the disease. Even at very low doses, BPA presents a risk to human health. It's at the top of our list of chemicals that should be eliminated from our everyday lives.
BPA is truly an everyday chemical, showing up in everything from CDs to dental sealants. However, according to the National Institutes of Health, our primary source of BPA exposure is food and drinks. That's because BPA is used in the resin that lines most food cans and in hard, clear plastics used for water, baby bottles and food storage.
Get Involved
The BPA Act needs the support of your senators. Use our Web site to ask them to sign on as co-sponsors of the BPA Act of 2009. Send your letter to the Senate right now »
BPA and Breast Cancer
 Bisphenol A was initially marketed as a synthetic estrogen (replaced by DES, a carcinogen whose effects are still felt generations later) and was later discovered to be an effective additive to create hard plastics. Increased estrogen exposure from a variety of sources has been linked to early puberty and heightened breast cancer risk, among other health effects. BPA specifically has been shown to induce cell proliferation in human breast cells. Recent research suggests that it interferes with chemotherapy treatment as well. Click here for additional science linking BPA to breast cancer »
Children's developing bodies, beginning in the womb, are particularly sensitive to BPA's estrogenic effects. In utero exposure to BPA has been shown to cause mammary tumors in animals.
The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention has found that 93 percent of Americans tested have BPA in their bodies, and children have higher levels than adults. Studies by the Food and Drug Administration, Health Canada and others have documented that BPA leaches into canned infant formula and out of polycarbonate baby bottles.
FDA Reconsidering BPA Safety
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration is reconsidering its controversial decision to allow the continued use of BPA in food and beverage containers and was expected to report its findings on December 1, 2009 — but so far no word. Breast Cancer Fund has been pushing the FDA to take into consideration the wealth of research illustrating concerns about BPA and make an informed and swift decision to protect consumers from this toxic chemical.
The agency previously declared this estrogenic chemical safe, despite compelling science linking it to breast cancer and a host of other diseases. The FDA's last review of BPA relied on just two studies – both funded by the chemical industry – and ignored the more than 200 peer-reviewed studies by government and university researchers that linked BPA to breast cancer and other serious health problems. We're pushing for the FDA review to be conducted quickly and thoroughly, taking into consideration the wealth of research illustrating concerns about the chemical.
Mounting Concern – and Movement
 We're not the only people concerned about BPA. In fact, Minnesota, Chicago and three counties in New York have banned this chemical in baby bottles and sippy cups. Connecticut went a step further, passing legislation banning BPA from infant formula and baby food containers and reusable food and beverage containers in addition to baby bottles and sippy cups. Many other states and local municipalities, over 30 in all, are considering similar legislation to restrict exposure to BPA in food and beverage containers.
Some manufacturers of baby bottles and sport water bottles have stopped using it, including Nalgene, Camelbak and at least nine leading baby bottle makers; and some retailers have stopped selling certain products that contain BPA, including Wal Mart and Babies 'R' Us.
It's all movement in the right direction, but there are still a lot of food and beverage products being made and sold that contain BPA. Consumer Reports recently published a study that illustrates the prevalence of BPA in canned food and beverages. The study looked at BPA levels in 19 different name-brand foods and found that a diverse assortment of canned foods, including some labeled as “organic” and “BPA-free,” contained measurable levels of BPA. We want to make sure that all products are safe, and that's why we're advocating passage of the federal BPA Act.
Additional Resources
Recent media coverage: Chemicals in Our Food, and Bodies (New York Times, November 8, 2009) »
BPA alternatives fact sheet (PDF) »
Science in depth: BPA and breast cancer »
A tale of two estrogens: BPA and DES »
See the Environmental Working Group's 100-year timeline on BPA »
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