There will be no European ban on the endocrine-disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA). The European Parliament has voted that BPA will remain in food contact materials. Wemos regrets that European citizens will therefore remain exposed to this harmful substance.
The European Parliament has accepted the European Commission’s proposal to merely lower the migration limit of BPA in food contact materials. The decision contradicts the Parliament’s own demand for a full ban on BPA in these materials in 2016.
‘In 2016, the European Parliament demanded a ban on BPA in food contact materials,’ says Wemos’ global health advocate Renée de Jong. ‘But now it supports a mere reduction of the level of BPA. This is a very disappointing decision – because evidence has shown that BPA can harm our health even in low doses. It is not justifiable that in 2018, chemicals that have been scientifically proven to be endocrine-disruptive are allowed in food contact materials.’
The European Chemicals Agency has registered BPA as a ‘substance of very high concern’ because of its effects on human health. It is an endocrine-disruptor, i.e. it affects our hormone – or endocrine – system and has been linked to fertility problems. Chemicals in food contact materials can leak – or ‘migrate’ – into our food and drinks.
The European Parliament’s decision to merely lower the migration limit of BPA in these materials is not radical enough to truly protect the health of all European citizens. Wemos believes that only a full ban will suffice. Moreover, our focus should be broader than just BPA and food contact materials, as there are other known endocrine-disrupting chemicals, such as DEHP in medical devices.
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