FDA Declares That Chemical Used in Baby Bottles is Safe

The Food and Drug Administration on Friday declared the levels of a controversial estrogen-like chemical in plastic, known as Bisphenol A, or BPA safe despite safety concerns of parents, consumer groups and politicians. The chemical is used to seal canned food and make shatterproof bottles.

Some previous researches showed that the chemical, Bisphenol-A, might cause cancer or lead to early or delayed puberty.

But, the FDA released a draft assessment Friday, saying the chemical does not pose a health hazard when used in food containers. "FDA has concluded that an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA at current levels of exposure from food contact uses," FDA scientists wrote in the draft report.

However, the health agency said more research is required to determine the plastic-hardening chemical’s effects on humans as there is still no sufficient data to judge whether people are taking in safe or unsafe levels.

Bisphenol, which is commonly known as BPA, is a synthetic chemical that is the main component in polycarbonate, which ultimately forms the unbreakable, plastic used in the food cans, water bottles, drink containers, compact discs, electronics and also baby bottles.

Environmental and consumer safety groups say the BPA used in many plastic consumer products ranging from baby bottles to plastic lining of canned foods to other plastic drinks and food containers, may pose health risks to animals and infants, affecting their development and reproductive systems,. But the FDA and European regulators, as well as the plastics industry, assert the chemical is not dangerous.

BPA, an ingredient of polycarbonate plastic, is one of the most widely used synthetic chemicals in industry today. Its current uses are as a primary monomer in polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resins. It can enter to the human body through hard plastic beverage containers such as baby bottles, as well as from liners in cans containing food and infant formula.

Although, the chemical industry has said repeatedly that low-level exposure to BPA is safe, but a government report in April this year said even low levels of exposure by infants can be harmful. It can cause changes in their prostate and mammary gland tissue that could ultimately lead to cancer, the report claimed.

But, FDA’s recent draft report, which will be reviewed Sept. 16 at a meeting of members of an FDA advisory committee studying the safety of the chemical, said the trace amounts of BPA that leach out of food containers were not a threat to infants or adults.

The Center for Disease Control (CDC) and Prevention estimates that nearly 93 percent of American's have BPA in their urine.

Due to the ongoing safety concerns over the use of BPA, major stores like Wal-Mart, the nation's largest retailer, and Toys R Us, the largest toy seller, have decided to remove the children's products containing BPA from their shelves.

The federal government of Canada has also decided to ban the compound in baby products. Some U.S. lawmakers announced last week that they are working on legislation that would ban BPA in containers designed to be used by children under three years of age.