Food containers made with common chemical bisphenol A pose no health threat, according to a draft assessment by the Food and Drug Administration. More than 100 government- and university-funded studies have linked BPA to cancer, diabetes, behavioral disorders, and reproductive problems, and an April report from the National Toxicology Program declared there was “some concern” about infant exposure to the chemical. But relying largely on two industry-funded studies that say the chemical is just peachy, the FDA found that “an adequate margin of safety exists for BPA at current levels of exposure from food contact uses.” Advisers will review the draft report in September. BPA is found all over the damn place, from sunglasses to CDs to car interiors; it rears its head in can linings, baby bottles, and many food containers made of hard, clear plastic #7. Canada and San Francisco have banned BPA in baby products, and California voters are set to vote on a ban soon.
