The potential killer lurking in your till slip
It has long been said to be dangerous in food packaging, but BPA’s use in paper receipts is causing alarm too
IT is banned in baby bottles in most countries and manufacturers have removed it from infant food packaging.
Canada has declared it a toxin, France ordered it not to be used in food and drink packaging by 2015, and Japan and some US states have forbidden its use in till slips and ATM receipts.
It is the chemical Bisphenol A, known as BPA — a synthetic estrogen which the Cancer Association of South Africa suspects could lead to one of the worst cases of chemical contamination.
BPA is used to make a hard, strong, clear plastic known as polycarbonate. It can be found in power tools, sun roofs, crash helmets, credit cards, CDs and spectacle lenses.
It is also used to make baby bottles, food and drink containers and is included in the lining of canned foods and drinks.
Those lobbying against BPA in food packaging claim the chemical leaches into food and drink, caus-
It is not an obviously toxic molecule that hammers cells. It is more like a stealth bomber that comes in under the radar and disables control centres
ing harm especially to foetuses, babies and children.
Studies on animals have shown that BPA disrupts healthy development, which could lead to an altered immune system, hyperactivity, learning disabilities, reproductive health problems, increased risk of breast and prostate cancer, obesity and diabetes.
“It is not an obviously toxic molecule that hammers cells,” said Carl Albrecht, chief researcher at the Cancer Association of South Africa.
“It is more like a stealth bomber that comes in under the radar and disables control centres.”
Early exposure might play a role in causing breast cancer 40 years later, he said.
Despite conflicting opinion on the dangers of BPA, the evidence is compelling enough to have made it the first man-made chemical to be banned based on developing science and a precautionary approach.
Few countries, including South Africa, now allow its use in baby bottles and sippy (training) cups for toddlers.
The French lead the way with an outright ban on it in all food packaging, effective in the next two years. In the interim, it wants BPA warnings on packaging.
And even though BPA is still allowed in general food packaging worldwide, that looks set to change here and abroad. Although the US Federal Drug Administration stands by its original position that BPA is safe at low levels, it has banned it in baby bottles and milkformula tins.
The European Food Safety Authority is re-evaluating human risks associated with exposure through diet and non-dietary sources.
The good news is that plastic food packaging manufactured in South Africa is BPA-free.
“To play it safe, all plastic food packaging manufactured in South Africa, including baby bottles and other beverage bottles, is 100% BPA-free,” said Plastics SA spokeswoman Monya Vermaak.
Despite this, Albrecht advocates no heating of plastic in contact with food, except where it has been rigorously shown not to be a problem. But he warns that even at room temperature there is still a migration of BPA into food.
Nampak, the largest manufacturer of food packaging in South Africa, could be producing BPAfree food tins and drink cans from next year.
Johan Visser, Nampak’sI research and development general manager, said: “All available expert reports on BPA indicate that in the minute quantities in which it is found in packaging materials, BPA poses no risk to human health. However, in view of the international attack against BPA, packaging and coating manufacturers around the world are investigating BPA-free alternatives.”
He said Nampak was at an advanced stage of running trials and, assuming that they demonstrated that the alternative coatings would perform adequately, the conversion would go ahead.
But the concern is not restricted to food packaging. Researchers now say the possible contamination of BPA through the skin while handling till slips and receipts is equally troubling.
France has asked the European Commission to ban such BPA-coated receipts.
The US state of Connecticut, and Suffolk County municipality in New York state have already passed legislation banning the use of BPA in thermal receipts.
Published research has shown that BPA and its sister chemical, BPS, can migrate from the till, ATM and credit-card slips across skin and enter the blood stream. Studies have shown that the blood of tellers contains 600% more chemical than that of consumers.
“BPA gets into the blood. It spreads throughout the body,” said Albrecht. “There is evidence that it can get into the brain. In the body it can compete with the hormone estrogen — this is not supposed to happen.”
In April, he called on retailers to move away from receipts coated with BPA. He later tested 10 receipts at Stellenbosch University. They were all positive for BPA except for two that contained BPS.
“Anyone who replaces BPA with BPS and calls the product BPAfree is technically correct but scientifically dead wrong,” he said.
Several South African retailers and banks have made the change in the interests of consumer safety and more are in the process of switching to BPA-free till rolls (see box).
To play it safe, all plastic food packaging manufactured in South Africa, including baby bottles and other beverage bottles, is 100% BPA free
Rotunda paper solutions, which supplies the banking industry, said BPA-free paper was 20% more expensive and that its European suppliers had submitted documents indicating there was no danger in using BPA paper.
Ultimately, consumer preference — and subsequent bannings — will drive the use of BPA.
“It’s become a big consumer issue,” said Albrecht. “Chemicals known to be hormone disrupters should not be used willy-nilly in a myriad of appliances used by humans. Surely this is inappropriate and irresponsible?”
He said technology used to study the effect of man-made molecules on living cells had advanced tremendously in the past 30 years.
“Using these modern approaches, endocrinologists especially have detected very real yet subtle changes caused by BPA.
“As a biochemist and pharmacologist I gravitate towards the modern research. Furthermore, the peer-reviewed papers on BPA are increasing rapidly. This is not a flash in the pan.”
The Power Report is taking a week’s break and will be back on October 6. Megan Power will not feature on Power FM tomorrow, but she will be back on air on September 30