Health worries with BPA that won’t go away

Concerns over the impact on health of BPA – a chemical compound widely used in everyday plastic items – spiked again this week. The release of a study into BPA contamination, from the eating of cans of soup, showed that levels of bisphenol-A (BPA) rose tenfold in volunteers consuming such soups regularly. BPA is a chemical that has many scientists worried, as it mimics the body’s important signalers, hormones. That puts BPA in the frame for possible ill-health effects, ranging from reproductive and fertility problems, to impeded brain development and even obesity.

This proof of the rapid take-up of BPA from canned soups isn’t the first time that BPA has been shown to get into the human body with ease. Previous studies have shown that over 90% of pregnant women have BPA in their blood – and that high levels of BPA in mothers may be a factor in changing the behavior of their children. Such effects, passed on from mothers to their children, may result because BPA has been shown in tests to disrupt brain development in other mammals, such as mice.

The source of this BPA isn’t in dispute. As well as being used in the plastic films that line cans of processed foods, like soup, BPA is heavily used in many plastics as a softener. So it is often found in plastic bottles, the teats of baby bottles, as well as in containers for everything from milk to soft-drinks.

But there is controversy – some studies and scientists have proclaimed that BPA, at low levels at least, is not a hazard. Such differences of opinion mean that legislation to ban BPA use is spotty across the US, and the world. Last year Maine tried to join Connecticut, Minnesota and Chicago, in banning BPA from baby bottles, teats and infant formula tubs. France, Denmark and Turkey have followed suit, while in Japan, the plastics industry has tried replacing BPA-releasing plastics in many containers.

It is this patchwork-quilt response that has many consumers worried. It remains difficult to know for sure which drinks and foodstuffs are being stored in containers that are high in BPA. In these confusing circumstances, a cautious approach is being adopted by many – turning to plastic products that are certified BPA-free. A recent paper has confirmed that such BPA-free alternatives do exactly what they say on the label – helping consumers to bypass the controversy of risks from BPA exposure.

This is an area that Factory Direct Promos has long identified as being of concern – so we offer a wide range of drink containers that are both reusable and BPA-free. Whether durable aluminum or steel water bottles, or biodegradable and recycled plastic drink dispensers, our eco-friendly drinkware range boldly stakes out our ideals: to reduce pollution, save energy, and cut-out waste. All the while guarding the safety and health of those using our products.

Plus, with our efficient direct-dealing strategy, you and your business win too – reaping reduced costs, while gaining eco-credits, from the customized eco-solutions such as reusable grocery bags supplied by Factory Direct Promos.