BPA makes headlines again

Bisphenol A is back in the headlines today, with a new report in the Journal of the American Medical Association that suggests an association between high exposure to BPA with the development of heart disease and diabetes. The story is getting a lot of media attention. Check out this Washington Post story, as well as this sidebar telling readers how to avoid exposure to BPA. The first tip in that sidebar -- telling consumers to avoid microwaving food in polycarbonate containers -- is potentially huge. A lot of informed consumers already know about the allegations of risk related to BPA in baby bottles, and in water bottles. But telling consumers to avoid microwaveable plastic containers is a new wrinkle. The Post story about the new study includes an important caveat -- "The researchers acknowledge the limitations of their work and stressed that follow-up studies are needed to confirm their work and to determine whether BPA caused the observed health problems." But I guarantee that many other media reports will leave out that detail. The timing of the release, coming out the same day as the Food and Drug Administration holds a public hearing to debate BPA safety, will ensure that this story will get a lot of attention in your local newspaper and TV station today and tomorrow. Watch for more pressure to ban BPA in food packaging.