Tuesday 9 May 2000

A new WWF report, Bisphenol A: a known endocrine disruptor, highlights a range of evidence demonstrating the impacts of this chemical on wildlife and human health. Bisphenol A (BPA) is one of a number of chemicals that can mimic or block the actions of our natural hormones, particularly oestrogen. Even at very low doses it has been linked to reduced sperm production, increased prostate weight and conditions such as endometriosis. It may also affect the onset of puberty in the offspring of some mammals.

Children, and in particular, unborn and new born babies, are at the highest risk from chemicals of this type. During critical development stages, imbalances of hormones can have pronounced effects, some of which may not reveal themselves until much later in life.

The new report includes evidence from an unpublished study commissioned by the Department of Trade and Industry (DTI), which found that BPA is released from babies' bottles which have been subjected to bottle brushing, dishwashing or sterilisation.

Bisphenol A is used extensively in the production of plastics, particularly polycarbonates. It can be found in adhesives, pipes, thermal fax paper, car dashboards and electronic goods, but its presence in the linings of food cans and in baby feeding bottles causes the greatest concern.

Government action
WWF is calling on the UK governments to phase out or ban the production and use of known hormone or endocrine disrupting chemicals such as BPA. The UK is one of the few EU nations with a research programme into the effects of endocrine disrupting chemicals. While WWF supports this work, it believes that the governments have a responsibility to remove this threat from the wider environment where these chemicals pose a risk to wildlife and humans.

WWF also feels that the governments of the UK should take a strong leadership role in the EU and worldwide by implementing a precautionary approach towards chemicals that pose a potential health risk.

An informed choice
Chloe Webster, WWF's Toxics Policy Officer, hopes that the new report will be an urgent wake-up call to governments and industry about the need for action to remove bisphenol A and other hazardous chemicals from production and the environment. "Babies are extremely susceptible to the impacts of hormone disruption. The ratio of chemicals to body weight often means they are receiving much larger doses than adults. Bisphenol A is a known endocrine disruptor, and to continue to use this chemical in the light of all the evidence is jeopardising the health of future generations."

WWF would like to see evidence such as the results of the DTI study made more widely available to the public. There is also a need for improved labelling of products that contain BPA and other endocrine disrupting chemicals. "Consumers have the right to make an informed choice about the products they buy and the risk they are being exposed to as a result. The DTI study highlights the need for labelling of products that contain known endocrine disruptors, as well as the need for industry to play its part in researching safe alternatives to these dangerous chemicals," argued Chloe Webster.