Plastic users/consumers take notice

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BPA levels in humans far higher than previously thought

Sunday, October 09, 2011 by: S. D. Wells

http://www.naturalnews.com/033821_BPA_chemicals.html

(NaturalNews) New studies reveal that levels of BPA are massively higher in

humans than previously assumed, causing major concern for what has been

downplayed by the packaging industry as a false alarm.

BPA, or Bisphenol-A, leaches into food from plastic packaging and from the

linings of canned foods, causing cancerous tumors and developmental

disorders, including learning disabilities, attention deficit disorder, and

deformations of sexual organs, especially in newborns.

The CDC estimates that over 90% of people in the U.S. are chronically

exposed to BPA at over 3000 times the daily level that the FDA reports.

Maybe this monstrous difference comes from the fact that the FDA standards

ignored more than 100 credible research experiments and studies other than

their own. The new FDA regulatory language offers to seek " further public

comment and external input on the science surrounding BPA, " but industry

lobbyists argue about " safe levels " and do their best to muddy those waters

in order to keep the profits margins maximized.

Much of the latest research and testing of chemicals in foods is being

conducted by the very companies that sell them, or by independent labs hired

and well paid to conclude that there is " insufficient evidence of levels

harmful to humans. " The FDA and the CDC use the rationale that what kills

rats in labs may not have the same effect on humans, but this time, hundreds

of tests done on humans reveal otherwise.

The BPA label is either on the side or bottom of bottles in black or clear

numbers, usually inside of the recycling sign formed by circular arrows. The

number 2 means your food is contaminated by aluminum and polyethylene

plastic, and the number 7 means there is BPA in your polycarbonate

container.

To make things worse, if the bottles or cans have been sitting on the shelf

at the grocery for months, the toxic levels of BPA are higher, and since

there's no " born-on date, " like beer might have, there's no telling the age

of the container. Also, if the plastic gets heated up, like in a car, more

toxins are released into the drink. Plus, canned goods are sterilized at up

to 265% Fahrenheit, so the level of BPA released in those foods is

horrendous, not to mention the fact that all of the nutrients at that

temperature have been depleted from the source. Metal cans have no warning

or indicator whatsoever about BPA.

The remedy is to simply buy glass only and not have to worry about BPA, but

then don't forget to check for sodium benzoate, BHA, BHT, EDTA, and the

other " preservative " criminals.

BPA was originally developed in the 1930's as a synthetic version of the

female hormone estrogen. BPA is an endocrine disrupter, meaning it is a

chemical that interferes with the hormone system in animals, including

humans. Wondering why kids are more hyperactive these days and the doctors

suggest prescribing ADHD pharmaceuticals? Bisphenol-A mimics estrogenic

activity and enhances mesolimbic dopamine activity, which results in

hyperactivity and attention deficits. Still have canned sodas on your

grocery list?

Ordered up by the USA at 8 billion pounds per year, BPA is one of the

highest volume chemicals produced by mankind, having adverse effects in

mammals and invertebrates all over the world. Canned goods sell particularly

well in times of recession and financial stress. In February of 2009, the

United States saw an 11.5% rise in canned food sales alone. The highest

concentrations recorded are in chicken soup, infant formula and ravioli. By

the way, it's also in your dental fillings.

The EPA has not even evaluated BPA for possible carcinogenic activity, and

food packaging executives and lobbyists are still planning to use a pregnant

woman in their advertising in order to reassure Americans that BPA is safe

for children. Remember, an advertisement's slogan is often a cover up for

the product's greatest weakness.

Sources for this article include:

http://environment.about.com/od/bis...

http://environment.about.com/b/2009...

http://environment.about.com/od/hea...

http://environment.about.com/b/2009...

http://environment.about.com/b/2009...

http://greenliving.about.com/od/hea...

http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pmc/art...

http://www.ewg.org/bisphenol-a-info...

http://www.cdc.gov/exposurereport/B...

http://www.fda.gov/NewsEvents/Publi...