(MintPress) – While the Federal Drug Administration issued a ban in 2012 on BPA use in manufacturing baby bottles and sippy cups, the rest of America’s market remains wide open.
BPA is found on the lining of nearly all plastic bottles and aluminum cans — and there’s concern that it’s seeping into America’s food supply. A recent Duke University report indicates exposure to BPA may affect the developing brain.
“Our study found that BPA may impair the development of the central nervous system, and raises the question as to whether exposure could predispose animals and humans to neurodevelopmental disorders,” Duke Neurology Professor Wolfgang Liedtke said.
Concerns like this have families throughout the nation attempting to rid BPA from their lifestyle. Yet it’s not an easy way of going about business, as many can attest. Nearly all plastic containers, including water bottles, juice boxes, soda cans and soup cans contain BPA.
“Even if you go to extremes, it’s really hard for a consumer to limit exposure to some of these things,” Brent Collett, a cautious consumer told the Huffington Post after attempting to rid his diet from food packaged with the chemical. “It’s probably impossible.”
Katherine Zeratsky, a Mayo Clinic nutritionist, agrees.
“This may not always be easy to do, of course,” Zeratsky wrote in a recent Mayo Clinic article while addressing ways to get around BPA. “Some manufacturers label their products as BPA-free. If a product isn’t labeled, keep in mind that most aluminum cans or bottles have linings that contain BPA, while steel bottles or cans don’t.”
While not specifically naming BPA, a report released in February by the World Health Organization indicates there’s a need to research the human impact of exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, which BPA is considered to be.
“Human health depends on a well-functioning endocrine system to regulate the release of certain hormones that are essential for functions such as metabolism, growth and development, sleep and food,” a WHO press release states. “Some substances known as endocrine disruptors can alter the function of this hormonal system increasing the risk of adverse health effects.”
Yet even with this concern, businesses have little incentive to do just that. ExxonMobil, a major BPA manufacturer, told the Huffington Post that their products have been evaluated and thoroughly tested. Any change to FDA regulations banning BPA altogether would mean a major blow to businesses.