Ceepackaging

Environment

BPA in beverage cans transferring to food

Bisphenol-A was first synthesized in 1891. As early as the 1930s, it was documented that
BPA mimicked estrogen in the human body. In the 1940s, chemical engineers began to make
plastic and epoxy from BPA1. Today, about 4 million tons of BPA are produced annually
worldwide. Over 90% of BPA is made by Bayer, Mitsubishi, Teijin Chemicals, Dow Chemicals,
and GE Plastics (which was recently acquired by Saudi Basic Industries Corporation)2.
What are the uses of BPA?
The most widely known use of BPA is as the building block of polycarbonate plastic (which
often has the number 7, the resin code for “other,” in the chasing arrows symbol).
Polycarbonate is used to make most baby bottles, large water cooler bottles, and many
other products. Since Canada declared BPA toxic in April 2008, Wal-Mart, REI, and even
Nalgene have promised to phase out the sale of polycarbonate bottles.
An investigative report by the Milwaukee Journal Sentinel (Nov 15, 2008) found that all ten
plastic food containers that they heated (via microwave or in conventional ovens) leached
enough BPA to cause the toxic effects noted in low-dose laboratory studies. All of these
containers were marked “microwave-safe.”
We absorb BPA through our skin when we touch gas station receipts and other thermal
carbonless papers coated with BPA dust. Because it is used in some printer inks, BPA has
even contaminated the recycled paper stream. Paperboard food packing (such as pizza
boxes) now contains traces of BPA3.
Almost all metal food and beverage cans are lined with an epoxy coating that
leaches BPA. BPA is also used as a flame retardant (both as BPA and in a brominated form)
in other plastics, especially PVC.