CHILDHOOD EXPOSURE TO BPA & PHTHALATESMegan Sirna

OUTLINE• Learning objectives

• What are phthalates and BPA?

• How are children exposed?

• What are the effects of childhood exposure?

• What laws and regulations are in place?

• Knowing all of this, what actions can public health

professionals take?

LEARNING OBJECTIVES1. Differentiate between phthalates and

BPA

2. Describe the effects of childhood

exposure to phthalates and BPA

3. Examine regulations and policies related

to phthalates and BPA

4. Identify actions for public health

practitioners

PHTHALATES AND BPA•Bisphenol-A (BPA) is used to harden

plastics

• Phthalates are used to soften plastics

•Both are found in many consumer products

CHILDHOOD EXPOSURE• Plastic toys

• Packaged foods and beverages

•Baby bottles

TOXIC EFFECTS• Abnormalities in gender development, sexuality,

and reproductive capabilities

• Liver cancer

• Skeletal, cardiovascular, and eye abnormalities

• Anxious, depressive, and hyperactive behavior

LAWS & REGULATIONS• 2007 - California AB 1108 “Toxic Toy Bill”

• 2008 – Consumer Product Safety

Improvement Act of 2008, Section 108

• 2012 – FDA amends Food Additives

Regulation

• 2013 – OEHHA lists BPA on California Prop

65, one week later delists

CPSC & CUSTOMS AND BORDER PROTECTION: NOV. 20, 2013http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Newsroom/Multimedia/?vid=66865

PUBLIC HEALTH IMPLICATIONS

• Answer gaps in the literature

• Advocate for safer and equitable policies

and alternatives

• Precautionary approach

ALTERNATIVES?PHTHALATES•Citrates• Sebacates• Adipates• Phosphates• Petroleum-based plastics•Bio-based plastics

BPA•Glass• Polypropylene• Stainless Steel• Aluminum•High Density Polyethylene

REFERENCES• Becker, M., Edwards, S., & Massey, R. (2010). Toxic chemicals in toys and children’s products: Limitations of current responses and recommendations for government

and industry. Environmental Science and Technology, 44(21): 7986-7991. doi: 10.1021/es1009407.

• Braun, J., Kalkbrenner, A., Calafat, A., Yolton, K., Ye, X., Dietrich, K., & Lanphear, B. (2011). Impact of early-life bisphenol-a exposure on behavior and executive function in children. Pediatrics, 128(5): 873-882. doi: 10.1542/peds.2011-1335.

• California Environmental Protection Agency, Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment. (2013, April). Proposition 65: Chemical delisted effective April 19, 2013 as known to the State of California to cause reproductive toxicity: Bisphenol-A (BPA). Retrieved from http://oehha.ca.gov/prop65/law/041913BPAdelist.html.

• Consumer Product Safety Improvement Act of 2008, Pub. L. No. 110-314. §108, 3036. 122 (2008).

• Consumer Production Safety Commission (2013, November 20). CBP, CPSC Seize 200K Toy Dolls at U.S. Ports [Video file]. Retrieved from http://www.cpsc.gov/en/Newsroom/Multimedia/?vid=66865

• Guerra, L. (2006). Bisphenol-A and its harmful effects on human development. Sustainable Development Law & Policy, 6(3): 54. Retrieved from http://digitalcommons.wcl.american.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1348&context=sdlp.

• Johnson, S., Saikia, N., & Sahu, R. (2011). Phthalates in toys available in Indian market. Bulletin of Environmental Contamination and Toxicology, 86: 621-626. doi: 10.1007/s00128-011-0263-6.

• Koch, W. (2012, July 7). FDA officially bans BPA, or bisphenol-A, from baby bottles. USA Today. Retrived from http://usatoday30.usatoday.com/money/industries/food/story/2012-07-17/BPA-ban-baby-bottles-sippy-cups/56280074/1.

• Lowell Center for Sustainable Production (2011). Phthalates and Their Alternatives: Health and Environmental Concerns. Retrieved from http://www.sustainableproduction.org/downloads/PhthalateAlternatives-January2011.pdf

• National Conference of State Legislatures. (n.d.). NCSL policy update: State restrictions on Bisphenol-A (BPA) in consumer products. Retrieved from http://www.ncsl.org/research/environment-and-natural-resources/policy-update-on-state-restrictions-on-bisphenol-a.aspx.

• Priebe, M. B. (n.d.). How to Avoid Toxic Plastic Toys. Retrieved November 2013, from http://www.ecolife.com/parenting/natural-toys/safer-plastic-toys.html#sthash.s0I0qFQu.dpuf

• Sathyanarayana, S., Karr, C., Lozano, P., Brown, E., Calafat, A., Liu, F., & Swan, S. (2008). Baby care products: Possible sources of infant phthalate exposure. Pediatrics, 121: e260-e268. doi: 10.1542/peds.2006-3766.

• Shea, K. & Committee on Environmental Health. (2003). Pediatric exposure and potential toxicity of phthalate plasticizers. Pediatrics, 111(6), 1467-1474. Retrieved from http://www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/pubmed/12777573.

• Zimmer, K., Gutleb, A., Ravnum, S., von Krauss, M., Murk, A., Ropstad, E., … & Keune, H. (2012). Policy relevant results from an expert elicitation on the health risks of phthalates. Environmental Health, 11(Suppl 1): S6. doi: 10.1186/1476-069X-11-S1-S6.