Despite hundreds of studies linking bisphenol A—BP to adverse health effects, The Food and Drug Administration has rejected a petition from environmentalists that would have banned the plastic-hardening chemical bisphenol-A from all food and drink packaging, including plastic bottles and canned food.
It is said that about 90 percent of Americans have traces of BPA in their bodies. Some scientists suspect it can lead to cancer and other diseases.
Recent studies have linked BPA exposure to breast cancer, increased anxiety and depression in preschoolers exposed to BPA in the womb. It’s also been linked to toxic injury and implications in cardiovascular disease, intestinal problems, brain cell connection interference, increased risks of reproductive and immune system diseases and disorders, problems with liver function testing, interruptions in chemotherapy treatment, premature puberty, Polycystic Ovarian Syndrome (PCOS) and other female fertility and endocrine issues, and erectile dysfunction and male sexual problems in males as young as the developing fetus.
Very significantly, the National Institutes of Health (NIH) recently said that BPA may affect the development of young and unborn children, noted Bloomberg.com.
Another study also claims BPA could potentially be the reason for our obesity epidemic.
According to reports, the FDA announced that it will not ban BPA in food packaging, but would continue research the health effects of the ubiquitous chemical. “This is not a final safety determination on BPA,” said FDA spokesman Douglas Karas. “There is a commitment to doing a thorough evaluation of the risk of BPA,” he added, said The LA Times.