Hormone Disrupters

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Bisphenol A (BPA) Found in water bottles, baby bottles, plastic wraps, food and beverage can liners, plastic food storage containers, DVDs and CDs, Dental sealants, Impact-resistand plastices, and cash register receipts US Government's National Toxicology Program has concluded that there is some concern at current exposure levels Brain and behavioral effects on fetuses and young children Political issues perpetuate ongoing debate and cloud health concerns of BPA in adults Phthalate Products containing Phthalates Type 3 plastics Some but not all PVC formulations Adhesives and glues, agricultural adjuvants, building material, detergents and surfactants, modelling clay, waxes, paint pigments, printing inks and coatings. Soft plastic fishing lures, caulk, sex toys (jelly rubber). Another hormone disrupter (especially testosterone) similar health risks as BPA. Animal studies show reduced sperm counts and reproductive abnormalities Evidence of a link to cardiovascular disease, diabetes, and liver cancer in humans Manufacturing and incineration of phthalates releases dioxin known carcinogen and hormone disrupter Congress passed legislation in 2008 to ban six phthalates from cosmetics and toys because of research that indicates developmental and reproductive damage Oxybenzone Found in sunscreens, lip balm, moisturizers, cosmetics Linked to hormone disruption and low-birthweight babies About 97% of Americans have the compound in their urine Current exposure levels have been deemed safe Parabens Synthetic preservatives found in moisturizers, and hair care and shaving products Causes hormone disruptions and cancer in animals FDA has deemed current levels in cosmetics safe Paraben-free products are available Perfluorooctanoic Acid (PFOA) Component of Teflon nonstick coatings found nonstick pots and pans Also found in a water- and oil-repellent chemical long used to make protective coatings for carpets, upholstery, and clothes Has been found to cause hormone disruption and reproductive abnormalities in animal and human studies Also linked to thyroid diseases (NHANES, 1999-2006 study) Avoid heating Teflon cookware to high temperatures, particularly when empty Avoid contact with water- and oil-repellent chemicals containing PFOA EPA is urging makers to stop using PFOA by 2015 Perchlorate May be found in drinking water, soil, some vegetables May disrupt thyroid's hormone production Environmental groups are urging government to lower perchlorate levels in drinking water Decabromodiphenyl Ether (DECA) A flame retardant found in electronics, furniture, carpets, and house dust Health hazards include permanent learning and memory deficits; hearing defects; decreased sperm count in animals Animal toxicity studies show Deca-BDE causes neurodevelopmental effects and reductions in thyroid hormone levels Industry began phasing out the DECA in December 2009 following EPA advice Azra Kovacevic A, O’Dell C (15 Jan 2008), Decabromodiphenyl Ether (Deca-BDE): A Report to the Minnesota Legislature National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) conducted but US Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (Jan 20), Environmental Helath Perspectives (Online Report). Park A (1 April 2010), Top 10 Common Household Toxins, Time Magazine. Rudel R, Perovich L (Jan 2008). Endocrine disrupting chemicals in indoor and outdoor air, Atmospheric Envioronment, 43 (1): 170-81. Plastic Codes Recycling codes stamped on some plastics may help identify unhealthy chemicals. Worst Plastics Type 3: Polyvinyl chloride (PVC) Products Shampoo bottles, food packaging, shower curtains, medical tubing and bags, vinyl upholstery, floor tiles, pipes, Reynolds Wrap and cling wrap for most grocery stores Can pass from packaging into food, water, or cosmetics Can be breathed in from curtains or pipes Contain Phthalates Phthalate give plastic its resilience and flexibility Type 6: Polystyrene One of the most widely used plastics Two forms of polystyrene: inflated and non-inflated Styrofoam®, a Dow Chemical Company trademarked product meat trays, egg cartons plastic utensils, some takeout containers, cups, bowls, plates plastic models, packaging for shipping. May leak styrene, especially when heated Styrene is classified as a possible human carcinogen by the EPA and by the International Agency for Research on Cancer. Polystyrene is not biodegradable Type 7 Polycarbonate (PC), among other plastics Polycarbonates Reusable water bottles, dental sealants, inner lining of food cans Have been used in baby bottles and "sippy" cups for kids Can contain BPA which can leach into food and water Possibly Better Plastics Type 1: Polyethylene (PET or PETE) Disposable containers for most bottled water, soft drinks, and juice, mouthwash, ketchup, peanut butter, jelly, etc. Avoid reusing #1 bottles and jars because the plastic is porous containers absorb flavors and bacteria that can't be cleaned out Type 2: High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) Cloudy or opaque plastic Milk, water, and juice jugs Bottles for shampoo and detergent Cereal-box liners Type 4: Low Density Polyethylene (LDPE) Cling wraps, food storage bags, garbage bags, and grocery bags Squeeze bottles Coatings for milk cartons and hot-beverage cups Type 5: Polypropylene (PP) Cloudy or opaque plastic Most Rubbermaid container, cloudy plastic baby bottles, deli soup containers Containers for yogurt, margarine, ketchup and syrup Bio-based Polymers (Biodegradable polyester) Derived from renewable resources, such as corn, potatoes, sugar cane. Can be composted in a municipal composter or in a backyard compost pile Healthiest and most eco-friendly choice. Alternatives Food storage Parchment or waxed paper Glass and ceramic food storage containers On the go Paper plates, bowls, and cups made from sugar cane Bio-plastic utensils made from plant starch Stainless steel insulated storage container for hot foods Stainless steel water bottles or Ball brand canning jar with lid Codes of Concern, Time Magazine (April 1, 2010) Enviornmental Estrogens Organochlorine chemicals vinyl chlorides, dioxins, PCBs, perchloroethylene half of endocrine disrupters are in this class Non-organochlorine chemicals phthalates, phenols (plasticizers), aromatic hydrocarbons, some surfactants Medications hormone replacement, oral contraceptives, tamoxifen, cimetidene Agricultural hormones animal products consumed by humans

Bisphenol A (BPA) There remains an ongoing debate about the safety of BPA, found in plastic bottles, food and beverage can linings, other food containers and products. On one side, government-funded studies suggest this compound contaminates our food and beverage to such an extent that they interfere with our hormones and even our epigenome, increasing risks of certain types of cancers and obesity, not only for the individual, but possibly for his/her off spring. On the other side, chemical company funded studies claim no such negative health effect. Bisphenol A is suspect of being linked to several human epidemics Cardiovascular Disease (PLoS ONE, Jan 13, 2010) Type 2 diabetes Breast and prostate cancers Enlargement of prostate Early onset of puberty Obesity (Masuno 2002) Bisphenol A enters body Digestion of contaminated water and food Inhalation, entering through lungs Skin contact (same way birth control does in patch form) Mother’s blood stream to fetus Studies by the CDC found bisphenol A in the urine of 93%-95% of Americans (Calafat 2005, 2008) Suggests people are exposed regularly since bisphenol doesn't stay long in the body Canned foods account for the greatest exposure of BPA (Environmental Working Group) Products containing bisphenol A Plastic water bottles Plastic food storage containers (ScienceNews, Aug 28, 2010) US Food and Drug Administration approved BPA for use in food containers in 1963 Over a decade later, federal law required safety reviews for new chemicals Plastic baby bottles (transparent plastic) detachable nipples have also been found to contain trace amounts of bisphenol A (Vom Saal) Plastic resin in canned foods and aluminium beverage containers (Consumer Reports, Dec 2009) BPA has even been detected BPA-free cans (Consumer Reports, Dec 2009) Food containers from recycled paper (Ozaki) Dental sealants, CDs and Toys, PVC pipe, medical equipment (Consumer Reports, Dec 2009) Impact-resistant plastics such as safety helment, bulletproof glass, traffic signals, computer cases (ScienceNews, Aug 28, 2010) Cash register receipts (ScienceNews, Aug 28, 2010) Found in approximately 80% of receipts (Enviornmental Working Group, 2010) Recycled paper Gehring, et al. (2011). Bisphenol A contamination of wastepaper, cellulose and recycled paper products, WIT eLibrary, 08 March 2011 The rate of bisphenol A leaching from plastic containers into foodstuffs is accelerated by Contact with lipids, such as those found in milk, formula, cheese, meat, and vegetable oils bisphenol A links to lipid molecules Contact with acidic foods, such as fruit juice Repeated washings Exposure to heat or sunlight (Belcher) Recommendations Avoid plastic food packaging and storage No plastic of any kind should be placed in heat, particularly the microwave (National Toxicology Panel) Avoid putting plastics in the dishwasher or using harsh detergents. Instead use warm soapy water. (National Toxicology Panel) Choose foods in glass bottles instead of plastic or metal containers with plastic liners Soy foods, containing a natural estrogens, may offer limited protection Avoid prolonged skin contact with cash register reciepts and plastics containing PVC (ScienceNews, Aug 28, 2010) Other environmental contaminants Plastic pollutants in our lakes, streams, and oceans Bisphenol A found in water suspect cause of unusually high instances of hermaphrodism in wildlife (Tillitt D) Bisphenol A is hormonally ‘active’. It has an effect in cells at levels thousands of times lower than toxicology reports had previously deemed safe (Nagel S) Unlike phytoestrogens such as those found in soy beans, bisphenol A does not bind to blood proteins, which normally acts like a barrier, keeping estrogens from entering the cell. Bisphenal A has been shown to stimulate human breast-cancer cells to proliferate in vitro (Welshons W) Bisphenal A has been shown to enlarge prostates in mice at dosages close to what humans are exposed to from sources such as food packaging (Nagel S, Environmental Health Perspectives, National Institute of Health, 1997) Bisphenol A has been shown to lower sperm counts in mice (Nagel S, 1997) Chemical companies have infiltrated our government agencies and scientific communities In 1996, Congress passed the Food Quality Protection Act and the Safe Drinking Water Act. It mandated the EPA to begin protecting consumers from endocrine disrupting chemical such as those found in pesticides and plastics by the year 2000 The US Environmental Protection Agency has been ineffective in protecting the public from bisphenol A. Although scientists make up part of the panel of experts to advise the EPA on chemical screening, representatives of the chemical industry were also invited. The chemical companies were permitted to choose how they would carry out the tests (Eg: using a particular breed of rat and feeding rats a chow that contains soy, a natural estrogen). In 1998 a House committee began investigating the rumored conflicts of interest in the scientific panels advising the EPA In 1997, Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction (part of the US National toxicology Program) assembled an expert panel on bisphenol A Scientists not were permitted to be apart to the CERHR panel if they had published a study on bisphenol A The CERHR panel was ultimately discredited and disbanded when it was discovered that Sciences International, the company contracted to write the CERHR reports, had been funded by more than 50 chemical companies, including Dow Chemical (Cone M, Los Angeles Times, 7 March 2007). On late 1997, A representative from Dow Chemical (one of the largest producers of bisphenol A) reportedly offered Missouri University research funding in exchange for Vom Saal, Nagel, and Welshon to withhold publishing their research findings until authorized to do so by the Chemical Manufactures Association. Vom Saal’s team rejected the offer. Subsequent studies performed by independent labs (other than MU or those funded later funded by the chemical industry) confirmed the hormonal activity of bisphenol A A study conducted at the department of pharmacology at University of Pittsburgh discovered mice that had been exposed to bisphenol A before birth had permanently enlarged the prostates (Gupta C, 1999). At the University of Berlin, Gilbert Schonfelder (2003) detected bisphenol A in the human blood of pregnant women and in the placenta and umbilical cord blood of their babies Babies are the most sensitive to the hormonal effects of bisphenol A (Welshon) Dr Fred Vom Saal has featured in PBS Frontline and ABC's 20/20 and has testified in front of state legislators regarding bisphenal A. In an interview with PBS, Dr Vom Saal explained: If we were dealing with a topic that didn't have incredible economic consequences, there wouldn't be the kind of resistance to what we're talking about right now. His 'Endocrine Disrupters' team (including Welshons and Nagel) at Missouri University is now (2008) studying the link between bisphenol A and obesity. A review of the 115 published studies on bisphenol A found 90% of government studies found adverse low dose effects of bisphenol A. Interestingly, no studies funded by the chemical industry found any effect (Vom Saal F & Hughes C, 2004). In March 2008, a congressional inquiry found the FDA’s conclusion bisphenol A is safe was based on only two studies, both sponsored by the Society of the Plastics Industry, a subsidiary of the American Chemistry Council Find other articles about hormone disrupters and plastics in our links section.