Why does BPA and BPS have such a bad rep?
So are they evil?
When BPA is in the body, it acts as a hormone. Over time, with continuous high exposure, the extra hormones can greatly increase developmental issues in the body, especially the brain. Under the circumstances, it can also cause lots of issues with early puberty and increase the chances of cancer (specifically breast and prostate cancer), and a lower sperm count by a significant amount and can even affect a fetus before entering this world. “At low doses that are similar to estimated exposures in people, bisphenol A can affect the developing rodent brain and behavior, prostate and mammary gland development, and cause early onset of puberty in females. There is wide variability in reported results from studies at low doses.”
Of all the significant possibilities BPA can do to the body, people started demanding BPA free products, researchers found a new chemical to replace Bisphenol A, it’s called Bisphenol S (BPS).
More research has been done to find out how these chemicals get into our bodies. According to the Washington State Department of Ecology, BPA was detected in 92.6% of Americans aged six years old and older. The WSDE also found that children contained higher levels of BPA than adults. This cause of this can happen in many different ways, for example, cans lined with BPA and BPS leach into the product (such as soups, tuna, green beans, juice) which we then intake. As a cashier, the amount of BPA or BPS you will be exposed to just during one shift is the average American.
Over the last couple of years, the use of BPA has fallen dramatically over the years because of bans and consumers demanding BPA free products. Washington is one of fourteen states in the US to create regulations for BPA use. In July of 2011, Washington began its ban on certain products containing BPA. Any bottles, cups, or other empty food and drink containers that are intended for children under the age of three are banned. Not long after, the presence of BPA in sports water bottles has also been banned.
The effects of BPS (Bisphenol S) are very similar to BPA according to Texas researcher, Nancy Wayne, a reproductive endocrinologist. “the two have almost identical potencies.” (Hong-Sheng Wang, “Comparing BPS and BPA”) Many tests have been done and researchers have found that zebrafish and rats who were exposed to BPS and BPA reacted in very similar ways. So even though something may be BPA free, it doesn’t mean it is BPS free as well. A small amount of exposure to these chemicals will not kill you but Wayne stated that one part per one trillion BPS can cause a cell to not function properly.
Both BPA and BPS are safe, but only in proportion, just like everything else. Your body can consume these products by both consuming and by touch. Coatings on containers can leak onto your food or even dealing with receipts can double the amount of BPS in your system after a day’s worth of work. Limiting your exposure to these chemicals can help to decrease the chance of possible issues.
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