The politics of plastics: the making and unmaking of bisphenol a "safety"

S.A. Vogel

American Journal of Public Health, 2009, vol. 99, issue S3, S559-566

Abstract: Bisphenol A (BPA), a synthetic chemical used in the production of plastics since the 1950s and a known endocrine disruptor, is a ubiquitous component of the material environment and human body. New research on very-low-dose exposure to BPA suggests an association with adverse health effects, including breast and prostate cancer, obesity, neurobehavioral problems, and reproductive abnormalities. These findings challenge the long-standing scientific and legal presumption of BPA's safety. The history of how BPA's safety was defined and defended provides critical insight into the questions now facing lawmakers and regulators: is BPA safe, and if not, what steps must be taken to protect the public's health? Answers to both questions involve reforms in chemical policy, with implications beyond BPA.

Date: 2009
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Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:aph:ajpbhl:2009:99:s3:s559-566_9

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