Polycarbonate and BPA Safety Facts Presented

FDA Says BPA In Plastic Bottles Is Safe
(8/20/2008)
The chemical bisphenol A (BPA) that is found in plastic water bottles, baby bottles, canned food and other products is safe, according to a new report from the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) released on Friday. The study found that the trace amounts of the chemical that leech into food and liquid are not dangerous to adults or infants, though the FDA did leave open the need for further testing. Stan Breckenridge, senior vice president of Moderne Glass Co. Inc. (asi/71920, which created a BPA-free kit of five different bottle styles in reaction to safety concerns, hopes the new report will finally clear the air. "I think it alleviates the paranoia that was caused by the sensationalized news reports," he says. "I think it instills consumer confidence back into the products. The FDA in my opinion is as credible a source as it gets and we stand behind."
The new FDA report was prompted by the findings by the National Toxicology Program that found "some concern" about BPA effects on infants. The report was picked up by the Today Show in April, kicking off a wave of concern among consumers and the industry as to the safety of certain plastic bottles made with BPA. Industry suppliers denied there were any safety concerns, calling them overblown, but many began offering BPA-free bottles to worried distributors.
You can read the article in full on ASI’s website by clicking here and signing in:
http://www.asicentral.com/asp/protected/apps/news/industryNews.asp?id=2896

May 2008
Please read below if you are interested in the publicity generated recently in regards to the chemical BPA and the safety of that chemical in Polycarbonate Water Bottles. We have presented some published information to show your customer that as of April 30th, the FDA has re-confirmed their approval of the use of BPA in food items. Another study published in February had similar findings. There is much information online; below is just a small amount that should help lay your fears to rest.

Based on the information below, and the ecological benefits of polycarbonate sports bottles use instead of disposable water bottles, Hurricane Line is continuing the sale of it’s polycarbonate water bottles and unless some “startling new discoveries” are made, will continue to follow the safety recommendation of the FDA.
I hope this information is helpful to you and your customer. I, personally, drink from our TMP28 Polycarbonate Sports Bottle daily and, fortunately, I have still NOT taken up the habit of smoking which has been proven repeatedly to cause certain types of cancer.
Please call me with any questions and have a great day.
Alan Tabasky
Vice President/Hurricane Line

We’ve compiled a few interesting facts and links below:

1. Below is taken from the website:
http://my.packexpo.com

April 30, 2008 - A statement issued today by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) should lay to rest consumer concerns about the use of epoxy liners containing Bisphenol A (BPA) in metal packaging for foods and beverages. According to the North American Metal Packaging Alliance, Inc. (NAMPA), the organization representing the metal food and beverage packaging industry, FDA's advice to consumers that products containing BPA are safe and there is no reason to discontinue using them is consistent with regulatory authorities around the world.

…….the FDA today said: "...FDA has completed a review of the available biological fate data and two recently completed rodent multigeneration reproductive studies; these studies did not indicate a safety concern for BPA at current exposure levels." The FDA statement went on to say: "Based on our ongoing review, we believe there is a large body of evidence that indicates that FDA regulated products containing BPA currently on the market are safe and that exposure levels to BPA from food contact materials, including for infants and children, are below those that may case health effects."

2. Below is taken from the website:
http://www.bisphenol-a.org/whatsNew/20080205.html

Are the Myths About Polycarbonate Bottles True?
New Information Supports the Safe Use of Polycarbonate Bottles
February 5, 2008

Summary
For decades, polycarbonate plastic has been safely used to make baby bottles and reusable water bottles. The safety of these products has been supported by numerous science-based safety evaluations of bisphenol A that have been conducted by independent government and scientific bodies worldwide. For example, recent evaluations by the European Food Safety Authority and NSF International both provide strong support for the safety of polycarbonate bottles. In spite of this strong scientific support, numerous myths, misinformation and scare stories about polycarbonate bottles continue to circulate. Several new studies have carefully examined these myths and provide additional strong support for the safe use of polycarbonate bottles.
What Do We Know About the Safety of Polycarbonate Bottles?
Polycarbonate plastic has been the material of choice for baby bottles and reusable water bottles for decades because it is lightweight, highly shatter-resistant, and transparent. During that time, many studies have been conducted to assess the potential for trace levels of bisphenol A to migrate from polycarbonate bottles into foods or beverages. The conclusions from those studies and comprehensive safety evaluations by government bodies worldwide are that polycarbonate bottles are safe for use.
Nevertheless, myths, misinformation and scare stories about polycarbonate bottles continue to circulate, in particular regarding real-life conditions of use that are claimed to result in the release of harmful levels of bisphenol A. Several new studies from respected scientists and organizations are now available to clarify whether any of the myths are true and whether the scare stories have merit.
What Are the Myths and What New Information is Available?
Myth #1: Migration Increases to Unsafe Levels at High Temperatures
A recent scare story,(1) based on a small-scale study from the University of Cincinnati, claimed that the level of bisphenol A released from polycarbonate plastic bottles increased when the bottles were filled with boiling water, and remained elevated when the bottles were subsequently filled with water at room temperature.
Increased migration into boiling water is not news at all since it is well known as a general phenomenon that migration levels increase with increasing temperature.
The claim that bisphenol A migration levels remain elevated after a single treatment with boiling water was not confirmed in a far more comprehensive study(2) from researchers at the University of Athens who examined migration over repeated cycles to determine what happens under real-life repetitive use of polycarbonate bottles. These researchers found that elevated migration levels are a transient effect that quickly recedes to a baseline level with continued use, even when boiling water was used in each subsequent cycle.
Even the highest levels of bisphenol A observed in these new studies are well below science-based safety standards set by government bodies.
Myth #2: Microwave Heating Leads to Elevated Migration Levels
The myth that heating baby bottles in a microwave oven increases migration of bisphenol A to unsafe levels was tested in a study published in 2008 by TNO, a prominent Dutch research organization.(3)
In TNO’s study, polycarbonate baby bottles from eighteen different brands sold in Europe were subjected to a series of tests to determine the level of bisphenol A that migrates under real-life microwave heating or sterilizing conditions. Bottles were filled with water, heated to boiling with microwave heating, boiled for one minute, and cooled. The procedure was then repeated two more times for each bottle after rinsing, and bisphenol A was measured in the water from each cycle.
As expected, the study demonstrates that microwave heating has no effect on migration of bisphenol A from polycarbonate bottles. This study indicates that microwave heating can be safely used to either warm the contents of a polycarbonate bottle(4) or to sterilize the bottles. Migration levels measured in this and earlier studies using other modes of heating are all well below science-based safety standards set by government agencies.