Safe to drink?

Science World, Sept 1, 2008 by Heather Montgomery

Just how safe is your water bottle? Scientists are taking a closer look at hard polycarbonate plastics like those used to make reusable water and baby bottles and the lining of food cans. That's because these products contain a chemical called Bisphenol A (bis-FEN-ol A), or BPA. BPA has some consumers and scientists worried because small amounts can leach out of containers and into foods or liquids.

Recently, an expert panel from the National Toxicology Program reviewed 500 scientific studies on the health effects of BPA. Some studies on laboratory animals Suggest that BPA can affect brain development, cause cancer, and disrupt hormones (chemical messengers that control certain body functions). However, "extending those findings to humans is difficult to do reliably," warns panel member Ken Portier.

The panel concluded that based on the low doses of BPA to which people are normally exposed, there is only a remote chance of negative effects on adults and a slightly higher chance of negative effects on infants and children.

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But some people aren't risking it. One water-bottle maker, Nalgene, is switching to non-BPA plastics. Similarly, stores like Wal-Mart and Toys "R" Us have decided to no longer sell baby bottles containing BPA. The U.S. Food and Drug Administration still considers BPA safe in low doses. What do you think: Should more be done to ensure that BPA isn't a health hazard?

DANGEROUS CHEMICAL?

A study by the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention detected Bisphenol A, a chemical found in some plastics, in nearly 93 percent of people tested.