BPA back on toxins list

State officially recognizes chemical in plastics as reproductive toxin—again

A court in California recently upheld findings that bisphenol A (BPA) causes reproductive health problems

Research has increasingly indicated BPA—a chemical commonly found in hard plastic bottles, food and beverage cans, and dental sealants—is an endocrine disruptor that can hinder reproductive health and has been linked to birth defects. For years, consumer health advocates have pushed the state Environmental Protection Agency to include BPA under Proposition 65, which publishes lists of chemicals known to cause cancer and birth defects.

In April 2013, California’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment added BPA to the state’s list of known reproductive toxins, but removed it just eight days later due to a preliminary injunction issued by the Superior Court of Sacramento County.

However, under a ruling made by Sacramento County Superior Court Judge Timothy M. Frawley on Dec. 18, BPA is back on the toxins list.