Will bisphenol A join the ranks of other toxic substances on California’s Proposition 65 list? Officially called the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, Prop. 65 protects Californians from substances that cause cancer and birth defects – and paves the way for national change.
Tomorrow, BPA is up for a review, thanks to the mounting science linking it to reproductive toxicity (a term that includes infertility, miscarriage and other conditions that impact a woman’s ability to have children). Exposure to the chemical also contributes to breast cancer risk and can interfere with chemotherapy treatment. It's found in hard plastic food and drink containers, the lining of food cans and other things we touch and use daily.
The science advisory board that recommends these chemicals for Prop. 65 listing will meet in Oakland from 10 a.m. to 5 p.m. to hear testimony from scientists, parents, doctors and the chemical industry. An audiocast of the hearing is supposed to be available online as it happens.
If BPA is listed as a Prop. 65 chemical, manufacturers will be forced to disclose its presence in products they sell in California. Even more highly anticipated are the national ripple effects, which could impact legislative efforts in California and in Congress to reduce BPA exposure.
I’ll be at the hearing tomorrow and posting the results of the vote as soon as it happens, which is supposed to be no later than 5 p.m.
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