European Food Safety Authority Reaffirms Science and Safety of Bisphenol A

ARLINGTON, Va., July 23 /PRNewswire-USNewswire/ -- The American Chemistry
Council (ACC) noted today that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA)
reaffirmed the safety of bisphenol A (BPA) in common consumer products such as
baby bottles, water bottles and food containers. In response to recent
controversy, an EFSA expert scientific panel reviewed new scientific data and
concluded that their previously established safe limit for bisphenol A
"provides a sufficient margin of safety for the protection of the consumer,
including fetuses and newborns." These findings strongly support the
conclusion that bisphenol A is not harmful to children or adults at the very
low levels to which people are exposed from use of consumer products.

"The safety of our products is our top priority," stated Steven G. Hentges,
Ph.D., of the American Chemistry Council's Polycarbonate/BPA Global Group.
"The conclusions reported today provide strong reassurance to consumers that
they are not at risk from use of consumer products made from polycarbonate
plastic."

The EFSA expert panel, which focused on how bisphenol A is handled in the
body, noted significant differences between humans and rodents, such as the
fact that people metabolise and excrete BPA far more quickly than rodents.
Because of these differences, people at all life stages from the fetus to
adults are not at risk from exposure to low levels of bisphenol A. As noted
by the expert panel, this body of evidence further limits the relevance of
low-dose effects of BPA reported in some rodent studies.

The new EFSA findings are consistent with many other recent comprehensive
evaluations. For example, the US Food and Drug Administration, the Japanese
National Institute of Advanced Industrial Science and Technology, and the
European Union have all recently found that bisphenol A is not a health
concern at the very low levels present in some consumer products. That
conclusion is further supported by the largest and most comprehensive study to
date on the potential health risks of bisphenol A, conducted by RTI
International and recently published in Toxicological Sciences.

Today, Americans live longer, safer and healthier lives due to the benefits of
chemistry. Bisphenol A is used primarily to make polycarbonate plastic and
epoxy resins, both of which are used in a wide range of common consumer
products. From baby bottles to bicycle helmets, and eyeglass lenses to
components of life-saving medical devices, products made from polycarbonate
plastic have been safely used for 50 years and continue to be safely used
today.

The full report from the EFSA expert scientific panel is available at
http://www.efsa.europa.eu. Information on the RTI International study is
available at http://www.rti.org. For more information on bisphenol A and
recent baby bottle studies, please visit http://www.bisphenol-A.org.

www.americanchemistry.com/newsroom

The American Chemistry Council (ACC) represents the leading companies engaged
in the business of chemistry. ACC members apply the science of chemistry to
make innovative products and services that make people's lives better,
healthier and safer. ACC is committed to improved environmental, health and
safety performance through Responsible Care(R), common sense advocacy designed
to address major public policy issues, and health and environmental research
and product testing. The business of chemistry is a $664 billion enterprise
and a key element of the nation's economy. It is one of the nation's largest
exporters, accounting for ten cents out of every dollar in U.S. exports.
Chemistry companies are among the largest investors in research and
development. Safety and security have always been primary concerns of ACC
members, and they have intensified their efforts, working closely with
government agencies to improve security and to defend against any threat to
the nation's critical infrastructure.

SOURCE American Chemistry Council

Tiffany Harrington of the American Chemistry Council, +1-703-741-5583,
tiffany_harrington@americanchemistry.com