Bisphenol-A is a very popular chemical used in plastic products for rigidity. However, it can leach into liquid or be absorbed into the skin via touch, leading to the reality that over 90% of Americans have measurable BPA in their bodies. In an effort to reduce exposure among children, who are especially vulnerable to these endocrine-disrupting chemicals, New York State passed the “Bisphenol-A Free Children and Babies Act” in 2010, removing all BPA from child care products.
Fast forward to 2018, and consumers can now choose between a wide array of BPA-free products. However, there is growing evidence pointing toward health-harming effects of a whole alphabet soup of BPA alternatives that have replaced the original: bisphenol AF (BPAF), bisphenol Z (BPZ), bisphenol S (BPS), bisphenol F (BPF), bisphenol AP (BPAP), and bisphenol B (BPB). In response, New York State is amending their law to include the rest of the bisphenol family prior to any federal regulatory effort.
The Democratic lawmaker who sponsored the bill cited a 2017 study that found all six BPA alternatives mimic estrogen in breast cancer cells, three of which even more so than BPA. In response to the legal effort, the study’s lead author expressed, “This is how policy should be shaped, based on the latest solid scientific evidence, which our work provides. We hope other states and nations will follow the example of New York and enact similar laws."
[Source: Environmental Health Network]