The European Environment Agency (EEA) warned this Thursday about the high exposure of Europeans to the synthetic chemical substance bisphenol A (BPA), which could put the health of millions of people at risk.
Based on data collected in a human biomonitoring study in 11 countries, including Portugal, the AEA published a note stating that the population’s exposure to BPA “is well above acceptable levels of health safety.”
BPA is a compound that is used in plastics (to make them harder) and is found, for example, in food containers, plastic bottles or cans, and even in toys.
Data from the studies indicate that levels exceeded the thresholds (except in Switzerland) by 71% in several countries, and in countries such as Portugal, France and Luxembourg they exceeded them in 100% of the cases.
But the AEA highlights that the values reported were the minimum values, so it is likely that all countries present rates of exceeding 100% of exposure levels above safety thresholds.
In the note released today, the executive director of the AEA, Leena Ylä-Mononen, highlights that the study showed that BPA represents a more widespread health risk than previously thought.
“We must take the results of this research seriously and take further action at European Union (EU) level to limit exposure to chemicals that pose a risk to the health of Europeans,” he said.
The AEA notes that exposure to BPA occurs primarily through food, as the product is found in food and beverage containers.
In April, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) reassessed the health risks from exposure to BPA, concluding that it can damage the human immune system, in addition to the already known harmful effects such as endocrine disruption, reduced fertility and allergic skin reactions. .
The data now published supports the EFSA conclusion and shows that exposure remains too high, despite measures introduced since 2015.
In some countries, such as France, BPA is currently banned in food packaging. The EU and the United States have restricted its use and are considering more drastic restrictions, although they have not yet been implemented.
Last June, the AEA had already highlighted the presence of bisphenol A in the body of more than 90% of the participants in the study, warning of the continuation of the production and consumption in Europe of “large quantities of chemical products “.
In April, environmental organizations warned about the proliferation of chemicals harmful to health, some even in baby diapers, a year after the European Commission announced the ban of thousands of toxic substances.
In April 2022, the Commission published a restrictions roadmap, which would serve as the basis for a list of chemicals to be banned.
Other restrictions included, for example, flame retardants, often linked to cancer, or bisphenols. But this year environmentalists considered that the plan failed and that harmful chemicals continue to be “used without restrictions.”
As for bisphenols, according to environmentalists, only five of 148 will be restricted. And he warned that the most controversial uses of bisphenol A will continue.
Source: TSF
