PLASTICS AND HEALTH
German authority says new studies on BPA show no evidence of negative effects / Sweden prepares to ban the chemical
If anyone ever doubted the highly controversial nature of the debate about bisphenol A (BPA), the latest assessments issued by German and Swedish authorities could not be more different. Whereas the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (Berlin; www.bfr.bund.de) on 29 July issued a press release sounding the all-clear regarding the dangers posed by BPA, the very same day the Swedish government announced that it was preparing a nationwide ban for use of the material in baby bottles and other special containers. By implication, the ban will also affect polycarbonate, the polymer derived from bisphenol A. Once the ban comes into law, Sweden will be the third EU member state to impose such measures – the other two are Denmark and France – see Plasteurope.com of 09.04.2010 and of 21.08.2009.
The German institute explained that against the backdrop of the familiar EU discussions on the dangers posed by BPA the EU had conducted new tests adopting the international standard of OECD directive 426 on developmental neurotoxicity and “Good Laboratory Practice” to ascertain possible neurological developmental and behavioural effects linked to BPA. Commenting on the two recently released studies (Stump et al. and Ryan et al.), the institute said that given the test conditions the studies did not show any damaging effects on the brain and behavioural development of offspring. The German authorities emphasised that the studies specifically tested the neurological and hormonal effects of even small quantities of BPA and came to the conclusion that they do not substantiate suspicions of the damaging effects on behaviour or neurologial development of bisphenol A.
As a precautionary measure Sweden’s government nevertheless has decided to order the country’s two national authorities tasked with chemicals and food safety (www.slv.se) to prepare a ban on BPA. Sweden’s environment minister Andreas Carlgren said he believed the EU process was “too slow”. The authorities have been given until 31 March 2011 to hand in their assessments.
e-Service:
Detailed statement by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment on: “Bisphenol A: Studies by Stump et al. (2010) and Ryan et. al (2010) provide no indications for adverse effects on neurological development and behaviour” as a PDF document
The German institute explained that against the backdrop of the familiar EU discussions on the dangers posed by BPA the EU had conducted new tests adopting the international standard of OECD directive 426 on developmental neurotoxicity and “Good Laboratory Practice” to ascertain possible neurological developmental and behavioural effects linked to BPA. Commenting on the two recently released studies (Stump et al. and Ryan et al.), the institute said that given the test conditions the studies did not show any damaging effects on the brain and behavioural development of offspring. The German authorities emphasised that the studies specifically tested the neurological and hormonal effects of even small quantities of BPA and came to the conclusion that they do not substantiate suspicions of the damaging effects on behaviour or neurologial development of bisphenol A.
As a precautionary measure Sweden’s government nevertheless has decided to order the country’s two national authorities tasked with chemicals and food safety (www.slv.se) to prepare a ban on BPA. Sweden’s environment minister Andreas Carlgren said he believed the EU process was “too slow”. The authorities have been given until 31 March 2011 to hand in their assessments.
e-Service:
Detailed statement by the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment on: “Bisphenol A: Studies by Stump et al. (2010) and Ryan et. al (2010) provide no indications for adverse effects on neurological development and behaviour” as a PDF document
27.08.2010 Plasteurope.com [217110]
Published on 27.08.2010
German version of this article...