Two Vermont advocacy groups are calling for further government action on the use of a chemical called bisphenol A, citing a new report that found it in two-thirds of tested cans of food.
Vermont in 2010 banned the substance in reusable food and beverage containers. It is a component in the plastic linings in cans.
Bisphenol A, more commonly known as BPA, has been found to mimic the hormone estrogen in some biological processes, and opponents of its use say it has been associated with several health problems.
The Food and Drug Administration has said BPA poses no health risks at the levels found in canned food.
The Vermont Public Interest Research Group and Vermont Conservation Voters discussed the report’s findings Wednesday in a news conference at the Statehouse.
The report, based on research by several U.S. and Canadian health advocacy groups, involved testing of 192 cans gathered from 19 states and one Canadian province. It found that all Campbell’s soup cans tested contained the chemical, as did 70 percent of tested Del Monte cans and 50 percent of tested General Mills cans.
Both the Campbell Soup Co. and Del Monte have announced plans to eliminate BPA from their cans.
The FDA should reopen its evaluation of BPA and test the chemical more rigorously, said VPIRG’s consumer and environmental advocate, Falko Schilling. The product is associated with various cancers, behavioral changes such as attention deficit disorder, and obesity, among other ailments, he said.
Even if food manufacturers phase out their use of the chemical in their cans, risks remain for consumers if manufacturers replace their current liners with others that carry toxins as well, Schilling said.
Some manufacturers have switched to can linings containing polyvinyl chloride, a carcinogen, Schilling said.
Vermont Conservation Voters’ political director, Lauren Hierl, called on the Legislature to take further steps to protect Vermonters from harmful chemicals. She said action is needed because, of nearly 100,000 chemicals registered in the United States, the Environmental Protection Agency has tested only 200 for safety and restricted the use of only five.
