The Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel brings us news this morning of a new study conducted by the Environmental Working Group which finds 9 out of 10 babies are born with the chemical in their system -
Previous studies have found BPA in the urine of 93% of Americans tested. But Wednesday's study is the first to find it in the cord blood of U.S. newborns.
"It's alarming," Janet Gray, director of the Environmental Risks and Breast Cancer project at Vassar College, said of the study results. "What more evidence do we need to act?"
More than 6 billion pounds of BPA are used each year to make polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins. The chemical is used in thousands of common products, including the lining of nearly all food and beverage cans and as coating for carbonless paper receipts.
FDA was supposed to complete their latest 'review' on the use of BPA on Monday, but the decision has been postponed. Since we're already into December, I'm assuming the decision will not be made until well after the New Year. Or, just like their first decision in 2008... maybe they'll sneak the news that they plan to do nothing into another end-of-the-week news dump sometime around, say, December 23 or 24? Pardon my cynicism.
Many studies have linked BPA exposure to everything from increased risks for obesity by triggering fat-cell activity, to diabetes, heart disease in women, fertility defects, an increased risk of developing breast cancer later in life from fetal exposure, and erectile dysfunction and other sexual problems in men. |
