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Just How Harmful Are Bisphenol-A Plastics?

Posted August 26, 2008 9:14 AM

From Scientific American:

On the day Patricia Hunt's career veered into an entirely different field, her graduate students at Case Western Reserve University were grumbling, itching to use some exciting new data in their own experiments, but were told to wait while Hunt (just one last time) checked on her subjects.Hunt, a geneticist, was exploring why human reproduction is so rife with complications. She had a hunch the chromosomally abnormal eggs that plague human pregnancies were tied to our hormones. A paper outlining the results of Hunt's experiments on the hormone levels of female mice was ready for publication. All she needed was to ensure that her control population, the mice left alone in the study, was normal. Instead Hunt stumbled on a disturbing result--40 percent had egg defects.

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Anonymous Poster
#1

Re: Just How Harmful Are Bisphenol-A Plastics?

08/27/2008 10:43 AM

"Look out. Look out. The sky is falling." Same alarmist garbage as GW.

A scientist making a research career around BPA. I worked with BPA for years and have no ill effects, but then I'mn not a mouse.

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#2

Re: Just How Harmful Are Bisphenol-A Plastics?

08/27/2008 11:36 AM

This is a case of head up the money trail. Bis-A plastics are not a problem. If you look at the ames test this material should be used as a preventiative.

Control group (45 rats), 35% cancer

Test group (45 rats), 22% cancer. (Rats are swabbed with Bis A only, not cured materials.

This is plane stupid.

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#3

Re: Just How Harmful Are Bisphenol-A Plastics?

08/28/2008 1:36 PM

I'll agree - to a point - with the first two nay-sayers, in that limited studies do not a case make for a serious problem. But Bis-A was used at one time as an estrogen substitute, and therefore is biologically active in humans. This means we cannot gloss over the study with a cavalier attitude. Further investigations are required, and indeed should be mandated. Otherwise, who knows, our grandchildren may all be born without shoes...

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#4
In reply to #3

Re: Just How Harmful Are Bisphenol-A Plastics?

08/30/2008 2:29 PM

I agree there is the possibility of a problem that should be looked into.

This looks more like an known effect turned into a green-wash.

BUT what are the environmental/biological effects of cured Bis-A, and are proper safeguards in place for manufacturing of said plastics if the finished product is benign?

Brad

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