April 13 US: Churches express disappointment in FDA ruling rejecting evidence of toxicity of BPA

From National Council of Churches News:

The National Council of Churches expressed disappointment in the Food and Drug Administration’s conclusion that there is insufficient evidence to ban bisphenol-a (BPA), a chemical found in many aluminum cans and some infant formula containers.

The chemical is linked to health concerns in numerous studies that identify such problems as early puberty in girls, prostate and breast cancer, obesity and type II diabetes, heart disease, infertility and neurological issues.

“The faith community is clear on the need to care for the health of our neighbors and to prevent suffering,” said Chloe Schwabe,Environmental Health Program Manager for the NCC’s EcoJustice programs.

“With a scientific body of evidence that continues to produce studies showing harm, we believe the F.D.A. made the wrong decision to allow BPA, a chemical linked to prevalent health conditions, to remain in aluminum cans and infant formula.” Schwabe said.

The full statement is below:

The Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to allow bisphenol-a (BPA) to continue to be used in baby bottles, sippy cups, infant formula cans, and food cans in the face of numerous studies that link BPA exposures at low-doses to prevalent health concerns such as cancer, early puberty in girls, and type II diabetes is a violation of our call as Christians to protect the health of God’s children, low-income communities, and all life on Earth.

In the hard economic times, more families prepare meals with canned food and a recent study from Boston University School of Public Health used data from the National Institute of Health and found that low-income communities who receive emergency food assistance have higher levels of BPA in their bodies. People living in poverty should not be unduly exposed to BPA or any chemical with mounting evidence of harm to people and God’s Creation.

As 11 states, Canada, France, Denmark, China, Taiwan, Malaysia, the United Arab Emirates, and the EU Commission pass stringent restrictions on this chemical, and the chemical industry and product manufacturers move forward to replace BPA in baby bottles, sippy cups, and aluminum cans, the FDA falls short of guaranteeing a healthy future for all God’s children in the United States.”

We will keep you updated regarding ongoing changes to BPA regulations.