The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) finally announced at the end of March 2012 that bisphenol A (BPA) – an industrial chemical often found in food and drink packaging – will not be banned from being used to package food or drinks.
Trace amounts of BPA are often found in hard plastic water bottles and food cans and, in some cases, cash register receipts.The chemical is believed to disturb the reproductive and nervous systems, although according to a Harvard Medical School blog, it can be processed through the kidneys relatively fast in adults and older children.
The petition to ban BPA came from the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) in 2008. The FDA’s denial cited a lack of evidence from the NRDC. Although Campbell’s, a major canned-food processing company, has started seeking a more sustainable alternative to BPA in its packaging, most companies in the industry were in support of the FDA’s ruling.
But, Connecticut – which was the first state to ban the chemical from being used in baby bottles and other infant products – is currently considering a state law that would require any food or drink packaging containing BPA to be clearly stipulated on its label.
“If the EPA or the FDA took action, we wouldn’t have to, but they don’t and – and despite many requests from around the country they sit on their hands,” said state Representative Dick Roy, according to the Connecticut Post.
Although Connecticut may still be debating this law, if local grocers or small food companies wish to get a jump start and label if a product does or does not contain BPA, they may want to design custom labels for their packages and print them with a color label printer.