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Chemical in plastic bottles fuels science, concern - and litigation.

Article Excerpt
A common chemical denominator in the stuff of modern life--helmets, CDs, baby bottles, sunglasses, cell phones, can coatings, and dental sealants--is the focus of increasing scientific and legislative scrutiny, as well as lawsuits. More than 20 cases have been filed, mostly since April, against manufacturers and sellers of baby and water bottles containing bisphenol A (BPA).

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BPA, studied in the 1930s as an estrogen mimic, came into commercial use in the 1950s after scientists discovered that it could make clear, hard, yet not easily breakable plastic compounds called polycarbonates. These plastics, along with epoxy resin can linings containing BPA, have become ubiquitous in food uses, where they are prized for their durability. Today, more than 6 billion pounds of BPA is produced each year; the United States alone accounts for more than a third of worldwide production.

But BPA's association with food has attracted controversy. Although the FDA had maintained that the chemical did not leach out of containers made with it, in 1999 scientists began using more sensitive testing techniques, allowing them to measure very low levels of BPA.

Studies since then have measured the chemical in a variety of human tissues, including placenta, cord blood, fetal blood, and urine. The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) found that nearly 93 percent of people tested had measurable levels of BPA in their urine, with children having the highest levels.

Scientists believe that most human exposure comes from diet, through the leaching...

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