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| Top Ten Unfounded Health Scares of 2007 #10 |
| Water Bottles Cause Cancer |
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| Posted: Wednesday, December 19, 2007 |
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The (Unfounded) Scare: Bisphenol A, or BPA, a component commonly found in hard plastics, causes cancer. BPA can be found in many polycarbonate products such as baby bottles, water bottles, sippy cups, and soda can liners.(49) Research has shown, however, that the amounts of BPA that may migrate into food and beverages from plastic containers are extremely small and are at acceptable limits that are set by regulatory agencies.
Origin of the Scare: Concern over BPA has been around for a few years, and this year an experiment published in the July issue of Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences added more fuel to the fire.(50) This study found that feeding BPA to female mice changed the color of their babies’ coats. The mice with brown coats grew up with healthy weights, while those with yellow coats grow up to be obese, with a higher susceptibility to cancer and diabetes. The Environmental Working Group (EWG) attacked BPA, linking it to breast cancer, prostate cancer, obesity, and reproductive problems.(51) Their data was based on animal studies.
Media Coverage: BPA is used in many consumer products and the media took full advantage of this fact. Scary headlines were found in USA Today and a Reuters report. This fear was especially intense for consumers due to BPA’s use in baby bottles – scary for mothers everywhere. This is exemplified by USA Today’s own headline “‘Everywhere chemicals’ in plastics alarm parents.”(52)
EWG’s senior scientist, Dr. Anila Jacobs, said BPA was a chemical “that can leach into food and drinks.”(53) Dr. Fred vom Saal of the University of Missouri reportedly said that while there were no definitive human studies of BPA, he is concerned about BPA products used by children, such as baby bottles. He added, “It’s like putting a time bomb into the organs of your baby that later on in life is going to cause those organs to malfunction.”(54)
The Bottom Line: The United States Environmental Protection Agency concluded that BPA is safe and set a maximum acceptable dose of 0.05 milligrams per kilogram of body weight.(55) The only time that BPA has been shown to have significant effects in humans is in the case of workers who were exposed to the substance while on the job. As a result of long-term exposure to high levels of BPA in the air at their workplaces, some of these individuals experienced irritation of the eyes, respiratory tract, and skin. These symptoms resulted from inhaling BPA, not from ingesting it through foods and beverages. Therefore, the experiences of these workers are not applicable to the experiences of the general public.
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| Table of Contents |
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Top Ten Unfounded Health Scares of 2007
Scare #1: Lipstick Is Toxic (Lead in Cosmetics) Scare #2: Fluoridated Water Jeopardizes Your Health Scare #3: Red Meat and Processed Meat Increase Cancer Risk Scare #4: PFOA Causes Low Birth Weight Babies Scare #5: Nitrites in Cured Meat Cause Lung Disease Scare #6: Roses Are Toxic Scare #7: Rubber Ducks Are Toxic (Phthalates Endanger Children) Scare #8: Vaccines Cause Autism Scare #9: Office Printers Are as Hazardous as Secondhand Cigarette Smoke Scare #10: Water Bottles Cause Cancer References |
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| Published: December 2007 |
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| Paperback |
| ISBN: N/A |
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