Plastic bottle chemical may be harmful: agency

[Guest guest]

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A chemical in some plastic food and drink

packaging including baby bottles may be tied to early puberty and

prostate and breast cancer, the U.S. government said on Tuesday.

 

Based on draft findings by the National Toxicology Program, part of

the U.S. National Institutes of Health, senior congressional Democrats

asked the Food and Drug Administration to reconsider its view that the

chemical bisphenol A is safe in products for use by infants and children.

 

The chemical, also called BPA, is used in many baby bottles and the

plastic lining of cans of infant formula.

 

The National Toxicology Program went further than previous U.S.

government statements on possible health risks from BPA.

 

It said: " There is some concern for neural and behavioral effects in

fetuses, infants and children at current human exposures. " The

findings expressed concern about exposure in these populations, " based

on effects in the prostate gland, mammary gland, and an earlier age

for puberty in females. "

 

Rep. John Dingell, a Michigan Democrat and chairman of the House of

Representatives Energy and Commerce Committee, said the draft cast

doubt on the FDA's position that BPA was safe.

 

" I hope the FDA is willing to reconsider their position on BPA for the

safety of our infants and children, " he said.

 

The National Toxicology Program said laboratory rodents exposed to BPA

levels similar to human exposures developed precancerous lesions in

the prostate and mammary glands, among other things.

 

" The possibility that bisphenol A may impact human development cannot

be dismissed. More research is needed, " the agency said.

 

Bisphenol A is used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and

epoxy resins and can be found in food and drink packaging as well as

compact discs and some medical devices. Some dental sealants or

composites contain it as well.

 

The National Toxicology Program expressed " negligible concern " that

exposure of pregnant women to BPA causes fetal or neonatal death,

birth defects or reduced birth weight and growth in babies. It also

had " negligible concern " that exposure causes reproductive problems in

adults.

 

The American Chemistry Council industry group said the conclusions

confirmed that human exposure to bisphenol A is extremely low and

noted no direct evidence that exposure adversely affects reproduction

or development in humans.

 

In Canada, the Globe and Mail newspaper said the Canadian health

ministry was ready to declare BPA a dangerous substance, making it the

first regulatory body in the world to reach such a determination. The

newspaper said the ministry could announce the decision as soon as

Wednesday.

 

Environmental activists long have warned about health concerns

regarding the chemical. They praised the draft findings of the

National Toxicology Program, which cited more potential worries about

the chemical than did a panel of experts that advised the program last

year.

 

" NTP's decision corrects the scientific record. It reflects a

significant body of science showing that BPA may play a larger role

than previously thought in a host of common health problems, " Anila

Jacob of the Environmental Working Group said in a statement.

 

(Editing by Alan Elsner and Maggie Fox)