Bisphenol A (BPA), a hormone-disrupting chemical commonly used in beverage packaging and found in items such as reusable water bottles, plastic and metal food containers, as well as drinking water pipes, has raised concerns regarding its presence in the bodies of almost all Europeans, according to a recent report by the European Environment Agency (EEA). The report suggests that BPA levels are well above acceptable health safety thresholds.
The European Environment Agency (EEA) conducted a human biomonitoring research project in 11 EU countries and found that between 71% and 100% of participating individuals were likely exposed to levels of BPA that exceeded safe health thresholds.
Leena Ylä-Mononen, Executive Director of the EEA, emphasized the widespread risk BPA poses to European health and called for urgent action at the EU level to limit exposure to chemicals that pose potential risks to Europeans.
BPA serves as a primary packaging material and is also used to produce epoxy resins found in protective coatings and linings for food and beverage cans and vats. Studies conducted by the European Food And Safety Authority (EFSA) have shown that BPA can migrate in very small amounts to food and beverages in these containers. Exposure to BPA has been found to potentially affect the immune system, hormones, metabolism, fertility, and glucose regulation.
In response to these findings, the EU banned the use of BPA in food and beverage packaging intended for infants and children under three years old in 2018, and has prohibited its use in polycarbonate infant feeding bottles since 2011. Furthermore, the EU Commission announced an initiative in June to ban BPA in all food contact materials, including plastic and coated packaging.
The European Food And Safety Authority (EFSA) has significantly reduced its recommended daily intake limit for BPA from 4 micrograms per kilogram of body weight per day to 0.2 nanograms a day in 2015, and is considering further reductions to 0.04 nanograms in 2021. EFSA estimates that consumers with average and high exposure to BPA through dietary intake are exceeding the new recommended daily intake limit.
In contrast, the US FDA estimated in 2014 that daily exposure to BPA for individuals aged 2 and older is approximately 500 nanograms per kilogram of body weight per day, which is 2,500 times greater than the new recommended limit set by EFSA.
