EU rules chemical BPA a threat to human health
Bisphenol A (BPA), one of the world’s best-selling chemicals, which is used in items including water bottles, CDs, DVDs and kettles, has been ruled a threat to human health in a unanimous decision by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). The agency judged that the chemical was an “endocrine disruptor” linked to cancer, diabetes, fertility problems, learning difficulties and damaging effects on hormones. ECHA could recommend restrictions on use of the chemical as early as next year. Over 90% of the world’s population are believed to have BPA in their urine.

MSC unanimously agrees that Bisphenol A is an endocrine disruptor

ECHA/PR/17/12

The Member State Committee (MSC) supported the French proposal to additionally identify Bisphenol A as a substance of very high concern because of its endocrine disrupting properties which cause probable serious effects to human health. The committee also agreed to identify the substance PFHxS as an SVHC.

Helsinki, 16 June 2017 - The Member State Committee unanimously agreed on the identification as substances of very high concern (SVHCs) of:

4,4'-isopropylidenediphenol (bisphenol A, BPA) (EC 201-245-8, CAS 80-05-7), proposed by France, due to its endocrine disrupting properties for human health;

(EC 201-245-8, CAS 80-05-7), proposed by France, due to its endocrine disrupting properties for human health; Perfluorohexane-1-sulphonic acid and its salts (PFHxS), proposed by Sweden, due to their very persistent and very bioaccumulative (vPvB) properties.

Bisphenol A is already listed in the Candidate List due to its toxic for reproduction properties. At the MSC meeting earlier this week, MSC unanimously agreed on its additional identification as an SVHC because of its endocrine disrupting properties which cause probable serious effects to human health which give rise to an equivalent level of concern to carcinogenic, mutagenic, toxic to reproduction (CMRs category 1A or 1B) substances.

ECHA will include PFHxS in the Candidate List and will update the current entry for BPA accordingly by the end of June 2017. Companies may have legal obligations with respect to these substances upon publication of the updated Candidate List.