Almost all Europeans have hormone-disrupting chemical in their bodies: Research
Bisphenol A (BPA) is widely used in food packaging across the EU
New research has revealed that a hormone-disrupting chemical is present in the bodies of almost all Europeans, which amounts to a significant health risk.
The European Environment Agency revealed Thursday (Sept 14) that the hormone-disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) was detected in 71 to 100 per cent of adults in the 11 countries studied.
"A recent Horizon 2020 research initiative, HBM4EU, measured chemicals in people's bodies in Europe and detected BPA in the urine of 92 per cent of adult participants from 11 European countries," the agency wrote in a new report.
The chemical is widely used in food packaging across the union and was earlier used to make baby bottles until it was banned in Europe, the US and other nations a decade ago.
The EFSA in April had drastically reduced the recommended maximum daily intake of BPA allowed for consumers, slashing it by 20,000 times to 0.2 billionths of a gramme, down from four-millionths of a gramme.
Health concerns
The research has suggested that consumption of BPA above the specified level can lead to health disorders linked to hormone disruption, such as “breast cancer and infertility.”
It is still widely used to make plastic for food and drink packaging, meaning that most people are potentially exposed to this chemical while consuming food and drink.
Disagreement surfaces among agencies
However, there exists a dispute regarding the acceptable daily intake of BPA that one can safely consume throughout their lifetime without endangering human health.
The European Medicines Agency, responsible for drug approvals, has challenged the EFSA's updated maximum recommended limits.
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They have criticised the EFSA's methodology, suggesting that the organisation has acted hastily, particularly since there hasn't been a proven causal connection in studies involving animals or humans.
The EEA has nonetheless concluded that people's exposure to BPA "is well above acceptable health safety levels, according to updated research data."
"This poses a potential health risk to millions of people," it said.
"The reported exceedances are minimum numbers. The probability exists that actually, all 11 countries have exceedance rates of 100 percent exposed above safe levels," it concluded.
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