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Ban the Harmful Chemical BPA Once and for All!

19,291 signatures toward our 50,000 Goal

38.58% Complete

Sponsor: The Breast Cancer Site

There are many known health risks associated with BPA. Voice your concern now.


Bisphenol A (BPA) is a harmful chemical that has been known to negatively affect fetal and infant brain development, as well as interfere with memory and the brain's basic learning processes. Once used in several types of children's products such as baby bottles and formula packaging   the FDA in 2010 ruled that BPA exposure is not safe1.

Despite the FDA's ban on BPA, studies show that newborns are still being exposed to the chemical. Infants may be exposed to BPA before they were born because of the mothers' exposures, during exposure to plastic tubing if they are in the ICU (intensive care unit) in the hospital, or  through the breast milk. Pregnant women and nursing mothers may want to try to avoid foods and beverages from containers lined with BPA, such as canned foods and sodas2. 

Infants may be able to remove most BPA from their bodies within a few days, but prolonged exposure can lead to negative effects.

Long-term exposure to BPA has been linked to health effects on the brain and prostate gland of fetuses, infants and children. It can also affect children's behavior. Additional research suggests a possible link between BPA and increased blood pressure, type 2 diabetes and cardiovascular disease3.

In different parts of the world, BPA has been detected in human saliva, serum, urine, amniotic fluid, umbilical cord blood, and placental tissues. BPA has also been detected in human nails, hair, the dermis, breast, and in subcutaneous and visceral adipose tissue4.

Due to its estrogen-like shape, BPA can bind to estrogen receptors and influence bodily processes, such as growth, cell repair, fetal development, energy levels, and reproduction5. In addition, BPA may also interact with other hormone receptors, such as those for your thyroid, thus altering their function6.

The most commonly referenced harmful effects of BPA4 include:

  • breast cancer
  • early puberty
  • heart diseases
  • infertility in males and females
  • multiple negative brain variations
  • and obesity

With all of the serious health risks BPA presents, why is it still being used in any products at all?

There are perfectly safe alternatives to BPA7, yet manufacturers continue to use the chemical. Sign the petition and ask the chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions for draft legislation that would ban BPA in ALL consumer products

More on this issue:

  1. Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (7 April 2017), "The Facts About Bisphenol A."
  2. Rebecca M Nachman, Stephen D Fox, W Christopher Golden, Erica Sibinga, John D Groopman, Peter S J Lees, The Journal of Pediatrics (25 April 2015), "Serial Free Bisphenol A and Bisphenol A Glucuronide Concentrations in Neonates."
  3. Brent A. Bauer, M.D., Mayo Foundation for Medical Education and Research (2021), "What is BPA, and what are the concerns about BPA?."
  4. Mujtaba Ellahi and Mamoon ur Rashid, IntechOpen (7 June 2017), "The Toxic Effects BPA on Fetuses, Infants, and Children."
  5. Arlene Semeco, MS, RD (19 August 2020), "27 Foods That Can Give You More Energy."
  6. Evanthia Diamanti-Kandarakis, Jean-Pierre Bourguignon, Linda C Giudice, Russ Hauser, Gail S Prins, Ana M Soto, R Thomas Zoeller, Andrea C Gore, Endocrine Review (30 June 2009), "Endocrine-disrupting chemicals: an Endocrine Society scientific statement."
  7. Michael Mancini, Ph.D., National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (13 September 2017), "Potentially Safer Alternatives to BPA Identified."
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The Petition:

To the chair of the U.S. Senate Committee on Health, Education, Labor & Pensions,

A dangerous chemical substance is being used in common household products. It's been linked to myriad health issues in adults, children, and even unborn babies, and it was once approved for use by the FDA.

Your committee often discusses bills related to banning Bisphenol A (BPA). I would like you to take one step further and ask that BPA is prohibited in ALL consumer products. BPA has been shown to cause serious health problems, ranging from birth defects to stunted brain development. Its inherent risks render it completely useless for human consumption.

I am confused as to why BPA has been banned for use in children's products but is still allowed to be utilized in the manufacture of other products, like soup and soda cans and other food packaging. Exposure happens when the chemical seeps from the plastic container into its contents. However, alternatives to BPA, such as corn-based substances, do not present this risk.

I am writing to ask that you draft legislation addressing the danger of BPA and stand up for the health of Americans.

Sincerely,

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Signatures: