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A New Wrinkle in the BPA Debate
Recent findings released by the Yale School of Medicine are once again raising questions about the safety of Bisphenol A, or BPA, a chemical commonly found in everyday plastics and widely used in the production of clear plastic baby bottles around the world.
The potential dangers associated with BPA have long been the subject of debate among regulators, scientists, consumer groups, and the manufacturers that produce nearly 7 billion pounds of it each year. But with the revelation that exposure to EPA-accepted levels of the chemical has caused brain dysfunction and mood disorders in monkeys, widespread public anxiety, so far largely absent from the discussion, may now become significant and worrisome to manufacturers.
BPA had previously been found to cause cancer and reproductive damage in some animals. In July 2007, the government stated that the chemical “raises some concerns.” Beyond that, however, agencies such as the National Institutes of Health, the Food and Drug Administration, and the Environmental Protection Agency took no action, relying on findings from industry-subsidized studies concluding that appropriate use of the chemical is safe.
Now, however, with recent product safety embarrassments over toys and pet food still fresh in the public’s mind, regulators may have no choice but to reverse their position on BPA and join the already swelling ranks of plastic industry critics. The time has arrived for plastic manufacturers to begin the work of bulletproofing their brands for imminent attack.
Companies that have already begun to move away from the chemical need to highlight the measures they have taken to protect the public from BPA exposure. Whether they have decreased the amount of BPA in their products, developed new production formulas that diminish the risks, or stopped using the chemical altogether, these companies need to make known such proof of their leadership position.
Companies that have resisted change to date need to enlist credible third parties as allies. Respected and credible doctors, chemists, and industry leaders need to be front and center, downplaying the risks, refuting the danger hypothesis, and warning against the dangers of “headline parenting” even as they affirm their commitment to finding answers that will put the issue to rest.
Most important, no matter how much action a manufacturer has taken with respect to BPA, it is absolutely imperative that the company’s safety commitment never be in doubt. BPA is a subject that will increasingly generate emotional responses and instant impressions. Manufacturers must anticipate the emotionalism and some irrationality as well, in order to craft messages defusing the time bomb before it explodes.
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