The Fabulous Destiny of Bisphenol A (BPA)

“Three letters lie at the heart of our modern world: BPA.” “Bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, may be among the most vilified chemicals.” While the former statement appeared on the New Scientist, the latter was the incipit of a brilliant piece published in The New Yorker in May 2011 and titled “The Plastic Panic – How worried should we be about everyday chemicals?” Besides shedding some light on the pitfalls of both toxicological and epidemiological research in general, both articles witness the centrality of the debate surrounding this chemical substance in today's world. The narrative surrounding BPA sounds familiar to any risk regulation observer. In particular, the classic story of phthalates comes to mind. Today, the use of BPA to manufacture epoxy resins and polycarbonate plastics commonly used in baby bottles, food and drink containers and dentistry compounds is becoming one of the most controversial issues in food (packaging) safety around the globe. While it is undisputed that, due to the popularity of containers made with the compound, most humans have traces of BPA concentration in their organisms, stakeholders as well as scientists quarrel over its effects on human health. Many countries are currently evaluating their response to the regulation of the continued use of BPA. Only two years ago, it seemed the storm of anxiety surrounding BPA was a North American phenomenon, with Canada and some US states introducing bans on the substance used in polycarbonate bottles and epoxy food can linings. Then, consumer hostility and scientific concern over its safety mounted also in Europe and reached China. Following the unilateral restrictive measures recently adopted by Denmark and France, the EU introduced – despite the negative opinion of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) – a ban of BPA-containing baby bottles.In this brief article, I will describe how concerns have arisen around the use of BPA and the actions currently undertaken by both risk assessors and risk managers around the globe, by focusing in particular on the US and the EU. Before doing so, I will introduce the reader to the main features and usages of this controversial chemical substance