16. CHEMICALS: Mass. issues health advisory for BPA (08/04/2009)

Sara Goodman, E&E reporter

Massachusetts warned mothers of infants and toddlers to avoid products containing a controversial plastics additive for making or storing infant formula and breast milk.

At issue is bisphenol A, or BPA, a high-protein chemical used in polycarbonate plastics and epoxy linings for food cans. Concern about it has grown as studies have emerged showing that BPA mimics estrogen and has been linked to developmental problems and precancerous growths in animals.

"While researchers caution that more research needs to be conducted, it seems prudent to reduce exposures for pregnant and breastfeeding women to the extent possible in order to reduce levels in their newborn children," Massachusetts public health officials said.

The state advised consumers to avoid transparent plastic containers bearing the recycling number 7 and "PC," which stands for polycarbonate. If they use those containers, they should also avoid warming them, because evidence suggests the chemical leaches when the container is heated.

The advisory targets mothers of young children because research indicates that the chemical can affect fetal development and young children, state officials said. The advisory also points to preliminary studies suggesting the chemical could interfere with the effectiveness of chemotherapy for breast cancer patients.

Environmental health advocates praised the state's action.

"The health department did exactly what it's supposed to do," said Janet Nudelman, director of program and policy at the Breast Cancer Fund. "It's the first warning of its kind in the country, and it joins more than two dozen actions at the municipal and state level. I think it's going to be harder and harder for Congress to ignore that states and municipalities are taking action."

The Food and Drug Administration has said it would reassess its finding that BPA is safe at levels to which most people are exposed. Rep. Edward Markey (D-Mass.) has introduced a bill that would ban the chemical from food containers, and the House just passed a sweeping food safety bill that calls on FDA to determine by the end of the year whether BPA poses a health risk in food or beverage containers.

The American Chemistry Council maintains that BPA is safe, particularly at the levels to which most people are exposed. And California decided last month against adding it to a state list of compounds known to cause cancer or reproductive problems, saying there was insufficient evidence linking the chemical to human health problems.