The ban of BPA in food contact materials will help protect people from these endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), that have also been classified as toxic for reproduction since 2006 under REACH. Exposure to Bisphenol A and other bisphenols is associated with breast cancer, infertility, early puberty, diabetes and obesity, and neurological disorders in children. But this restriction focuses on one area where bisphenols are widely used – the work to protect people's health from the group of chemicals, and in particular children is therefore far from over.
Harmful chemicals used in food contact materials can put people’s health at risk. Commenting on the European Commission’s proposal to restrict the use of bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenols in food contact materials, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) calls for swift action and ambition to protect health and the environment against hazardous chemicals found in food packaging.
In Europe, thousands of different chemicals are used to produce and treat food contact materials. These substances, many of which have been linked to serious health impacts, have the potential to migrate into our food and drinks.
Bisphenol A (BPA) is the most well-known and commonly used bisphenol, a type of chemical widely used in the production of food packaging. Exposure to BPA, an endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) that has been classified as being toxic for reproduction, has been linked to breast cancer, infertility, early puberty, diabetes and obesity, and neurological disorders in children.