New Report: BPA Commonly Found on U.S. Money
According to a report recently released by the Washington-based group Safer Chemicals, a pro environmental lobby made up of green businesses, health care advocates, and citizen activist groups showed BPA contamination of the U.S. paper money supply.
Bisphenol-A, the infamous chemical that has been banned from baby bottles in Europe and Canada, is a well known component of the thermal-printed receipts most people stick in our wallets or purses after shopping. This constant proximity has allowed trace amounts of the compound to permanently leach into circulating dollars, and ultimately, onto our unsuspecting hands.
Researchers tested reciepts and dollar bills from twenty states, as well as Washington D.C., to see if BPA is found. They found high amounts of BPA on 11 of the 22 reciepts. They also found BPA on 21 of the 22 dollar bills tested!
The American Chemistry Council argues that the amount of BPA measured on U.S. currency was physiologically insignificant. And to some extent, they are correct.
The small amount of BPA found on paper money is of comparatively little concern when stacked against other sources, such as plastic food packaging and thermal receipts. But according to researchers, the real reason these findings should have us worried is they showcase the compound’s ability to soak into porous material like paper, or as other studies suggest, skin.
Ericka Schreder, scientist and lead author of the report:
“Our findings demonstrate that BPA cannot be avoided, even by the most conscious consumer. This unregulated use of large amounts of BPA is having unintended consequences, including exposure to people when we touch receipts.”
Why the Concern Over BPA?
Since the late 1950s, Bisphenol-A has been used widely in the manufacturing of certain types of plastics and epoxy resins. As of a few years ago, global production exceeded 2 million tons annually.
The vast majority of this was used in the creation of polycarbonate plastic – the clear, durable plastic commonly used in everyday items ranging from eyeglasses and DVDs, to dental fillings, and of course, baby and water bottles.
Scientists have been aware of BPAs potential risk since shortly after it was developed in the 1930s. Over the decades, particularly the last two, the substance has come under increasing scrutiny due to its possible hormone and neuro-chemical disturbing effects on humans. BPA has been linked to a wide range of increasingly common health concerns, including early onset of puberty, mental instability and depression, diabetes http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/dd/diabetes.php, and several forms of cancer.
The Solution to BPA Exposure?
The problem with Bisphenol-A is not its damaging effects on the human body, but rather its ubiquity. Despite a growing trend in recent years among North American and European manufacturers to develop BPA-free products, the compound is still found practically anywhere you turn your head.
Andy Igrejas, Director of the Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families coalition:
“BPA on receipts, dollar bills, and in many other products, is a direct result of the absurdly lax controls on chemicals in the United States. The 112th Congress should make reform of the failed 1976 Toxic Substances Control Act a top legislative priority to protect American families for generations to come.” [1]
Considering one of the compound’s historic selling-points is its ability to make plastics stronger and longer lasting, this probably isn’t going to change any time soon. Until global regulatory measures are in place, making better consumer choices is probably the quickest route to reducing BPA exposure [2].
– Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, ND, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM
References:
1. Washington Toxics Coalition and Safer Chemicals Healthy Families. BPA in dollar bills and receipts http://blog.saferchemicals.org/2010/12/on-the-money-bpa-in-dollar-bills-and-receipts.html. 2010 December 7.
2. The Environmental Magazine. How do I avoid risks from BPA plastics ? http://www.thedailygreen.com/environmental-news/latest/bpa-free#slide-19
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6 Reasons BPA is a Toxic Poison
I’m sure just about everyone has heard of BPA, but many people are still confused about its presence and safety risk. Simply put, bisphenol-Ahttp://dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=32616 is a synthetic compound used in plastic and epoxy resins. What does that really mean to you? Think about everyday items like water bottles, sports equipment, CDs, and DVDs. On the epoxy side, you might have BPA lining the inside of food cans and water pipes, or in thermal paper (the kind used in receipts). Studies indicate the majority of Americans test positive for BPA. [1] Why is this a problem? Well for one thing, BPA can lead to endocrine disorders or other health problems. I’m going to run through 6 reasons why you’re much better off without this compound and some simple advice for how you can avoid BPA.
1. BPA is Especially Dangerous to Women
Recent evidence suggests that BPA is toxic to a woman’s ovaries http://www.dreddyclinic.com/forum/viewtopic.php?f=11&t=32639. [2] One study found that after exposure, follicle production was fewer and smaller as the production of estradiol, a hormone necessary for normal reproductive development, had become stunted. [3] There’s even evidence suggesting that BPA exposure can shorten the reproductive lifespan and lead to infertility http://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/ii/infertility.php. [4]
2. BPA Causes Lung Problems in Kids
In addition to being harmful to a woman’s reproductive system, there’s evidence suggesting that exposure can also cause issues for the unborn child during pregnancy. [5] In a study of mothers and infants, the mothers with higher levels of BPA had children with decreased lung function. According to the study, each tenfold increase in the average BPA concentration corresponded to a 14.2 decrease in lung function. [6] The study also noted that the children were more likely to develop persistent wheezing by age 5, suggesting the very scary idea that an expectant mother’s BPA exposure can actually affect her child’s lung development.
3. BPA Leaches Into Bottled Water
Years ago, there was a concern that drinking from water bottles left in hot cars increased cancer risk. That was never proven, but what is certain is that toxic levels of BPA seep into water from plastic. For over four weeks, scientists studied plastic water bottles left in three different temperature conditions. The highest temperature — 158 degrees Fahrenheit — was chosen because car interiors can easily reach that on a hot day. In the hottest bottles, there was an increase in levels of BPA, suggesting that the levels of this poison steadily increase over time. [7]
4. BPA Pollutes the Air
It’s bad enough that BPA is in so many items, but recent evidence even suggests it’s polluting the environment. Chemical companies often use BPA as a plasticizer to make plastic stronger and, in 2013, over 26 tons of the stuff was released into the air. What does that mean for us? Well, not only do we have to worry about ingesting BPA or absorbing it through the skin, inhalation is also a concern. In fact, one study found that BPA is everywhere. [8] To give you some more perspective, another study found BPA in everyday household dust. [9]
5. BPA Raises Blood Pressure
Here’s another reason to avoid BPA: a study suggests that it can cause a small spike in blood pressure, something that could cause problems for those with hypertensionhttp://www.dreddyclinic.com/findinformation/hh/highbloodpressure.php. The Korean study followed 60 individuals as they drank the same brand of soy milk from BPA-free glass bottles and BPA-lined cans. Each individual was studied three times: as they drank from the bottles, as they drank from the cans, and as they drank from each. Not only was there an increase in systolic blood pressure when drinking from the cans, urinary concentration of BPA increased following consumption of the canned beverages by more than 1,600 percent compared with the consumption of the glass bottles. [10]
6. BPA is Confusing the Government
While it’s bad enough that it’s wrecking our health, it also seems to have a firm hold on the minds of our officials. Although the EPA recognizes that BPA is dangerous, the FDA says it’s safe. The EPA just recognized BPA, along with 22 other toxins, as a health risk; however, the FDA takes a markedly different approach. [11] While the agency recognizes that BPA is normally ingested, exposure levels are negligible and not a concern. [12] The FDA even claims that there is no risk to the unborn child. They cling to the belief that BPA is safe despite the number of studies suggesting otherwise.
Avoiding BPA
Avoiding BPA is a must, but be careful — a product with the BPA-free label doesn’t automatically mean it’s safe. Bisphenol-S (BPS) is a common replacement for BPA. Initially used because it was thought to be more resistant to leaching, BPS is just as bad. Once it gets into the body, it parallels the actions of BPA. [13] It seems as if BPA-free plastic might be just as harmful. So what can you do for your health? Make the smartest choice available to you and choose glass containers.
What do you do to keep BPA and alternatives out of your life? Let us know in the comments below.
-Dr. Edward F. Group III, DC, NP, DACBN, DCBCN, DABFM
References:
1. Vanderberg, L, et al. Human exposures to bisphenol A: mismatches between data and assumptions http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/23612528. Reviews on Environmental Health. 28 (1).
2. Peretz, J. et al. Bisphenol A and Reproductive Health: Update of Experimental and Human Evidence, 2007–2013 http://ehp.niehs.nih.gov/wp-content/uploads/122/8/ehp.1307728.pdf. Environmental Health Perspectives. 122 (8).
3. Peretz, J. et al. Bisphenol A Impairs Follicle Growth, Inhibits Steroidogenesis, and Downregulates Rate-Limiting Enzymes in the Estradiol Biosynthesis Pathwayhttp://toxsci.oxfordjournals.org/content/119/1/209.full. Toxicological Sciences. 119 (1).
4. Wang, W. et al. In utero Bisphenol A exposure disrupts germ cell nest breakdown and reduces fertility with age in the mouse http://www.biomedsearch.com/nih/In-utero-bisphenol-exposure-disrupts/24576723.html. Toxicology & Applied Pharmacology. 276 (2).
5. Boxe-Blaszczak, A. BPA Exposure During Pregnancy Linked to Lung Problems in Children http://www.livescience.com/48168-bpa-pregnancy-lung-problems-children.html. Live Science.
6. Spanier, A. et al. Bisphenol A Exposure and the Development of Wheeze and Lung Function in Children Through Age 5 Years http://archpedi.jamanetwork.com/article.aspx?articleid=1913573. JAMA Pediatrics. 168 (12).
7. Fan et al. Effects of storage temperature and duration on release of antimony and bisphenol A from polyethylene terephthalate drinking water bottles of Chinahttp://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/24907857. Environmental Pollution 192.
8. Fu, P. Ubiquity of bisphenol A in the atmosphere http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/20678833. Environmental Pollution. 158 (10).
9. Bienkowski, B. BPA in the air: Manufacturing plants in Ohio, Indiana, Texas are top emitters http://www.environmentalhealthnews.org/ehs/news/2014/oct/bpa-emissions. Environmental Health News.
10. Fox, M. Could the Chemical BPA Raise Your Blood Pressure? http://www.nbcnews.com/health/health-news/could-chemical-bpa-raise-your-blood-pressure-n264151 NBC News.
11. Rizzuto, P. EPA Adds 23 Chemicals, Including BPA, to Key List for Scrutiny, Possible Action http://www.bna.com/epa-adds-23-n17179910646/. Bloomberg BNA.
12. Rizzuto, P. Bisphenol A Is Safe for Approved Uses In Food Containers http://www.bna.com/bisphenol-safe-approved-n17179918114/, Packaging, FDA Says. Bloomberg BNA.
13. Bilbrey, J. BPA-Free Plastic Containers May Be Just as Hazardous http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/bpa-free-plastic-containers-may-be-just-as-hazardous/. Scientific American.
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FDA declares BPA exposure is safe! Don't worry about gender- bender chemicals
Despite countless scientific evidence explaining the dangers of Bisphenol-A (BPA), the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) refuses to ban this highly profitable industrial chemical. In their "current perspective on BPA" the FDA now states that the chemical is "safe" at the exposure level listed on current product packaging.
BPA - wreaking havoc on hormones
Bisphenol-A is an industrial chemical found in many metal-based food cans and hard plastic bottles. It has been used since the 1940s and has evolved into a major industry, with over six billion pounds of BPA produced globally each year. With this much synthetic chemical running amok in the land and water, there are definitely consequences. In fact, BPA is a synthetic estrogen, which means it can disrupt the endocrine process in the body, manipulating estrogen levels. This affect has been scientifically linked to developmental disorders, cancer, heart disease, diabetes, early puberty, learning disabilities, and infertility.
Infertility and hysterectomy on the rise
Companies that manufacture BPA like Bayer, Dow, Hexion Specialty Chemicals, SABIC Innovative Plastics, and Sunoco need to look for more health- and environmentally-friendly ways to produce their products. BPA is responsible for infertility that is growing at an alarming rate. Take, for instance, the growing rate of hysterectomies - a surgical procedure that removes a woman's feminine parts. This procedure is simply the medical establishment's reactionary response to a women's infertility. This procedure now occurs 1,616 times per day in the United States. BPA definitely plays a role in disrupting a woman's hormones, causing fibroid and cysts that beckon infertility. The medical establishment only knows how to respond to infertility with surgery. Correcting the root problem of infertility by eliminating toxins is usually discarded as a waste of time, but detoxifying feminine parts with cleansing herbs is a very practical way to preserve a women's fertility.
FDA's wobbly stance on BPA cannot be trusted
After years of claiming that hormone-mimicking BPA was "safe for all uses," the FDA came out in 2010 and changed its stance. After assessing new scientific data at the time, they began to show "some concern" that the affects of BPA may be dangerous on infants and fetuses. They went on to support efforts to rid the chemical from infant formula cans and baby bottles. Now, in 2013, the FDA is stating that the BPA exposure listed on today's packaging is perfectly "safe". How can their off and on claims be trusted? A chemical not fit for children can't be any safer for adults. Sadly enough, most tests on BPA exposure find that 93 percent of urine samples contain trace amounts of BPA. This statistic suggests that most people are now walking around with synthetic chemicals in their body, harboring a disrupted hormonal structure. This hormonal havoc may even be contributing to bizarre mating habits and the loss of gender identity, especially during puberty. Read more
