We’ve heard the word Bisphenol A, or BPA, thrown around quite a bit in the last few years, but what exactly does it mean? We’ve learned that it is bad for our bodies and our health, and that it can be found in reusable food and liquid containers, but why is it so bad? What makes it so bad? We hope that we can help you gain some insight into what exactly this harmful chemical is, where it can be found, what possible health problems it can cause, how you can recognize it, and overall, how you can avoid using it or consuming it.

According to the National Toxicology Program (NTP), BPA is defined as, “A high production volume chemical used primarily in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins.”

What are Polycarbonate Plastic and Epoxy Resin?

The NTP explains by saying,

” Polycarbonate plastics have many applications including use in some food and drink packaging, e.g., water and infant bottles, compact discs, impact-resistant safety equipment, and medical devices. Epoxy resins are used as lacquers to coat metal products such as food cans, bottle tops, and water supply pipes. Some dental sealants and composites may also contribute to BPA exposure.”

Okay, that makes a little more sense; now we have a general idea of where to find polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, but we’re still curious about what exactly BPA is.

Technically, BPA is an organic compound. BPA was first invented by Aleksandr Dianin, a Russian scientist, in 1891. According to Science Daily, BPA was originally made as a chemical form of estrogen, before becoming a basic component in the making of polycarbonate plastic products. Suspected of being hazardous to humans since the 1930s, BPA has been used primarily in the making of plastics for over fifty years in everything listed above such as water and baby bottles, sports equipment, CDs and DVDs, coatings of almost all food and beverage linings, and so on. Millions of tons of BPA are produced each year–in 2002, approximately 2.8 million tons of BPA was produced globally (Source: Chemical Market Associates, Inc. (CMAI)).

Repeating chemical structure unit of polycarbonate made from Bisphenol A.

BPA is an endocrine disruptor, which can mimic the body’s own hormones and can lead to negative health effects. From scientific research it has been found that BPA’s harmful health effects are most sensitive in early childhood development, which is why having BPA-free bottles and containers for infants and children are extremely important.

Since 2007, there has been an increasing number of scientific studies done on BPA by organizations such as the U.S. National Institute of Health, the National Toxicology Program, The Endocrine Society, and the National Healthy and Nutrition Survey.

In 2003-2004, the National Health and Nutrition Survey conducted a study where they collected urine samples from 2, 517 people over the age of 6. From this study, the NHANES found that 93% of the people tested positive for BPA.

There are two main factors resulting in the large concern over BPA. The first is because BPA exposure in humans is very globally widespread. The second, is because there is an extensive database of animal studies that have proven reproductive and developmental effects in fetuses and newborns.

NTP evaluated BPA, and concluded its study with different levels of concern on BPA’s different areas of harmful health effects. The NTP found that they have “some concern” (which is like a 3 on a scale of 1-5, with 5 being the most serious) for effects on the brain, behavior, prostate glands in fetuses, infants, and children with the current human exposure to BPA.

The NTP has “minimal concern” (a 2 on that same scale) for effects on the mammary gland and an earlier age for puberty among females, in fetuses, infants, and children with the current human exposure to BPA.

The NTP has “negligible concern” (a 1 on the scale) that pregnant women with exposure to BPA will result in fetal or neonatal mortality, birth defects, or reduced birth weight and growth in their offspring.

The NTP has “negligible concern” (a 1 on the scale) that exposure to BPA will cause reproductive effects in non-occupationally exposed adults, and “minimal concern” (a 2 on the scale) for workers that are exposed to higher levels of BPA in an occupational setting.

Why Would We Want to Put Anything in Our Bodies That Could Cause ANY Concern?

Canada and other countries such as Denmark, Germany, and France, along with many U.S. states agree. In 2008, Canada became the first country to outlaw baby bottles containing BPA, by declaring it a “hazardous and toxic substance.”

But What About Baby Bottles in the U.S.?

As of September 2009, BPA has been banned in states such as Minnesota, New York, and Connecticut, with 21 states following suite such as New Jersey and Delaware, according to California State Senator Fran Pavley. California is currently hoping that by 2011 BPA will be outlawed in any food or drink containers made for children’s consumption.

Specifically, they are hoping to prohibit “the sale, manufacture or distribution of a bottle or cup or a liquid, food or beverage in a can, jar or plastic bottle that contains bisphenol A (BPA) if the item is primarily intended for children three years of age or younger.”

Major retailers such as Wal-Mart, Target, and Toys R Us are also doing their part by promising to phase out products that contain BPA. But what about the six major companies that actually produce bottles made with BPA?

As of March 2009, the six companies (including Avent, Disney First Years, Gerber, Dr. Brown, Playtex, and Evenflo) agreed to stop using BPA in their products, though some of the companies will continue to sell bottles containing BPA in the U.K.–which seems counter intuitive considering the U.K. is hoping for a similar BPA ban, but we can only assume that this will be an ongoing battle until everyone is happy and BPA free.

In March of 2009, Philadelphia petrochemical company, Sunoco, also followed suite by requiring that companies using their BPA sources guarantee that their BPA will not be used in food and water containers for children under the age of three. Thomas Golembeski, head of Sunoco’s public relations, wrote in a letter to two investors, “We will no longer sell BPA to customers who cannot make this promise.”

So the big question remains: If a petrochemical company thinks BPA is dangerous enough for children that they are voluntarily willing to reduce their sales and lose profits, when will government health officials and the FDA take notice and find a resolution?

So What About Baby Formulas? Which are Safe to Use?

According to research conducted by the Environmental Working Group (EWG), they found that:

• Overall, the safest choice is to breast feed your baby whenever possible.
• The makers of Nestlé, Similac, Enfamil, and PBM all said that they all use BPA in the linings of metal cans holding liquid baby formula.
• BPA is widely used in powdered formula containers as well. Every manufacturer except Nestlé said it uses a BPA-based lining on the metal portions of their powdered formula cans. Nestlé failed to provide EWG with reliable documentation of their alternative packaging, making it an unclear improvement over other types.
• Powdered formulas are a better choice. EWG’s calculations indicate that babies fed reconstituted powdered formula likely receive 8 to 20 times less BPA than those fed liquid formula from a metal can.
• Liquid formula is of greatest concern, and its use could lead to high BPA exposures for babies. Testing by EWG and by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) indicates that under normal use, liquid formula itself could expose an infant to substantially more BPA than a plastic bottle.
• An August 2007 investigation by EWG estimated that at BPA levels found in ready-to-eat liquid formula, 1 of every 16 infants fed the formula would be exposed to the chemical at doses exceeding those that caused harm in laboratory studies.
• If your child is fed infant formula, you can reduce BPA exposure by choosing powdered formula.
• If you must choose liquid formula, look for types sold in plastic containers or purchase concentrated, not ready-to-eat types.
• If you don’t know whether your brand is packaged with BPA, ask–and demand a straight answer.
• Ross-Abbot, the makers of Similac, is the only company that told EWG they tested for BPA in their products, and that they detected none. However, both EWG and the Food and Drug Administration have found BPA in Similac cans, raising questions about either Ross-Abbot’s candor or the sensitivity of their testing methods.

BPA Product Notifications Via Text Message

A popular consumer research web blog, Z Recommends, has taken matters into their own hands by sending consumers information pertaining to products containing BPA via text message. So if you’re in the grocery store, and are unsure of a product’s safety, no fear!

Text “Zrecs” along with a company name or product category to the phone number: 69866. You’ll soon get a text back (or occasionally two) providing the BPA status of products by that company and/or in that category. Current categories are bottles, sippys, pacifiers, and tableware.

Note: “Zrecs” must be typed before the company/product name to access the database.

Recycling Codes: Which to Use and Which to Avoid

One of the ways that you can prevent buying products containing BPA is to be aware of what the plastic you are purchasing is made out of. There are seven classes of plastic used in product packaging.

Type 7 resin identification code is the main “other” class, and some type 7 plastics, such as polycarbonate (sometimes identified with the letters “PC” near the recycling symbol) and epoxy resins, are made from Bisphenol A monomer.

Type 3 (PVC) can also contain Bisphenol A as an antioxidant in plasticizers.

Types of plastic that are okay to use: Types 1 (PET), 2 (HDPE), 4 (LDPE), 5 (polypropylene), and 6 (polystyrene) do not use bisphenol A during polymerization or package forming.

How Can We Limit Our BPA Exposure?

• Avoid canned food and drinks whenever possible and eat fresh fruits and vegetables instead.
• Choose to drink from stainless steel reusable water bottles, rather than those with liners.
• Don’t microwave food in polycarbonate plastic food containers. BPA is strong, but over time can break down due to high temperatures.
• Don’t put plastic containers in the dishwasher or use harsh detergents to clean them.
• Only use polyethylene or polypropylene plastics, which have the recycling code #1, #2 (HDPE), #4 (LDPE), and #5 (PP).
• When possible, opt for glass, porcelain or stainless steel containers, particularly for hot food or liquids.
• Use baby bottles thar are BPA-free, such as stainless steel or glass.

One Company That Stands Out from the Rest: Eden Foods

Though it is recommended to not eat from any canned foods, Eden Foods canned bean products are the only exception to the rule. Eden Organic Beans are packed in steel cans coated with a baked on oleoresinous c-enamel lining that does not contain BPA. Oleoresin is a natural mixture of an oil and resin extracted from various plants, such as pine or balsam fir.

These BPA-free cans cost 14 percent more than the industry’s standard cans that contain BPA. This costs Eden $300,000 more a year. So far, Eden is the only U.S. company that uses this custom-made BPA-free can. And not only does Eden do this mainly for the consumer’s benefit, but they’ve been voluntarily doing it for the last DECADE–even before BPA and its negative effects were well-known by the public.

Eden Foods founder and president Mike Potter said in an interview earlier this year with the Huffington Post, “Being a canner, [BPA] got my attention… I made hundreds of phone calls to these three manufacturers… remarkably, I couldn’t find out if it was in the cans I was using or not.” The can companies, much like SIGG’s “proprietary” liner, did not legally have to list the chemicals being used in their cans as long as they claimed it was a trade secret.

One of the manufacturers Potter was in contact with was Ball Corp. Even though Ball Corp. wouldn’t disclose the ingredients of their cans, they helped Potter understand how BPA works, and after Potter had a good idea he merely had to ask Ball Corp. what they used for their can linings before BPA was available. Potter says, “They told me they used an enamel made from vegetable resins. So I asked: Can I get my cans with that on it, please?” And the rest is history.

Potter and Eden Foods have been carrying BPA-free cans since 1999. Because the issue was not as heated then or as well-known as it is now, Eden Foods didn’t even bother promoting it. For Potter, it was more about doing the right thing, and sleeping well at night knowing he was providing customers with safe and healthy products. “It was the right thing to do. I didn’t want BPA in food I was serving to my kids, my grandkids or my customers.” Potter says.

Check Out StainlessWaterBottles.com for a 15% Discount Coupon on Eden Foods Products!

Negative Health Effects That BPA Can Cause

There has been much research and many studies done that links BPA exposure to a wide array of illness and disease including: breast cancer, heart disease, obesity, diabetes, liver abnormalities and prostate cancer. And, as noted above, fetuses, infants, and children in early development stages are more prone to negative health effects caused by BPA than adults.

“In 2009, at an Endocrine Society meeting, new research reported data from animals experimentally treated with BPA. Studies presented at the group’s annual meeting show BPA can affect the hearts of women, can permanently damage the DNA of mice, and appear to be entering the human body from a variety of unknown sources,” according to Wikipedia.

StainlessWaterBottles.com is Committed to Helping You and Your Family Lead a BPA-Free Lifestyle

It is becoming very clear that BPA has negative effects on you and your children’s health. StainlessWaterBottles.com and CEO Dr. Ben are committed to helping provide consumers with healthy, safe, BPA-free alternatives, including a wide range of stainless steel water bottle choices, water bottle accessories, and other stainless steel products used in consumption such as ice trays, bowls, utensils, and more. We may not be able to completely live BPA-free just yet, but we can limit our BPA consumption and make smart decisions for ourselves and our children’s lives.

Dr. Ben and StainlessWaterBottles.com are Here to Help!

If you have any questions or comments regarding BPA let us know, Dr. Ben and the staff at StainlessWaterBottles.com are here to help! Feel free to call us at (800) 594-4916, comment down below, or email us at anytime.