Bisphenol A and the Use of Plastic Bottles

Bisphenol A (BPA) is a substance that is in widespread use in the production of a hard, transparent plastic called polycarbonate, which is used for various products, including bottles for infants and multi-use water bottles. Additionally, BPA is used as a component of the internal lining of food and drink cans. Traces of BPA might be present in food and drinks that are packaged in polycarbonate containers or in cans that contain BPA. As a result of the use of products containing BPA, the public may be exposed to low concentration of the substance.

The health effects of BPA at environmental dosages or at levels observed in biological monitoring are not known. The European Chemicals Agency has classified BPA as a substance that causes concern regarding its effect on human fertility, based on evidence from laboratory animals. There is evidence from animal studies that shows that exposure to a low level of BPA, especially during the developmental period, could lead to long term impairment of hormonal processes, development, metabolism and/or reproductive processes, some of which may manifest at an older age. However, it should be noted that there is uncertainty as to the relevance of these studies to humans. Human studies of the effects of BPA are limited, in spite of the fact that in adults, suggestions have already been found of its effects of the reproductive system, as well as of changes in thyroid hormone levels, liver function, cardiovascular disease and diabetes. In Israel, no studies have been published thus far investigating the connection between exposure to BPA and health effects.

A number of studies are currently being performed in Israel to assess the health effects of BPA - including a study assessing the connection between exposure during pregnancy and such effects as low birth weight,

premature birth, abnormal fetal development of the male reproductive system.

In Israel, there is no all-encompassing prohibition of the use of BPA in products that come into contact with food and drink. However, there are a number of Standards that limit the amount of BPA that could be released from the products into the food and drinks:

These Standards are based on current European regulations.

The Ministry of Health is continuing to monitor studies and regulatory steps in the world regarding BPA. In 2009, the Ministry of Health established a professional committee to consider the issue of BPA in infants’ and young children’s products. The committee has submitted its recommendations for reducing the exposure of infants and young children to BPA, and the Ministry is acting to implement them. The Ministry of Health has even directed that the use of bottles containing BPA be stopped for infants and children hospitalized in institutions starting from 1-Jul-2011, in order to enable hospitals to get organized for the change. Additionally, the Ministry of Health has submitted a request to revise Standard 5817 such that it will be prohibited to use BPA in the manufacture of infant bottles and drinking cups for infants. The Ministry of Health has carried out a Health and Nutrition Survey which assessed, among other things, the sources of exposure to BPA in the general population.

According the assessment of the Canadian Ministry of Health, in the case of consumption of water stored in polycarbonate containers (one of the modes of exposure to the substance), exposure to BPA from water in these bottles is much lower than the dosage that could cause health impairment, and is therefore not dangerous.

The Food Service of the Ministry of Health performed an initial survey to check for the presence of BPA in drinking water in polycarbonate plastic containers. In the framework of the survey, the presence of BPA was tested for in containers of two water companies in Israel (“Neviot” and “Mey Eden”). Emphasis was placed upon testing in real-life conditions of transportation and wear-and-tear. In all tests, the concentration of BPA was below the detection threshold.