Bisphenol A (BPA) is a controversial chemical found in the lining of most canned foods, various plastics, and many other everyday items. Whether we want to or not, we are exposed to BPA every day. It is absorbed through our skin as we use personal care products. We ingest it as we eat food stored in certain containers. It is even inhaled as we breathe in contaminated dust. Traces of the chemical are found in most people and have also been found in foetuses and newborns. But does any of this matter? The answer is not entirely clear, but there is cause for concern.

The problem is what bisphenol A does when it gets into the body. BPA acts like the hormone oestrogen. Research shows that at high levels, this can have adverse effects on reproduction, the nervous system, immunity, metabolism, the cardiovascular system, and more. The results are particularly concerning for pregnant people and young children. However, these levels are well beyond what we are typically exposed to. Experts debate whether the same damage is done at lower amounts. Toxicology tests by officials suggest that the levels that most of us experience are within safe limits. However, many independent academic investigators have found adverse effects associated with the kind of exposure we currently experience, especially in the long term. In some cases, these health impacts occurred from doses significantly below the legal limits. The answer is not completely clear, but the number of researchers who have found negative effects is concerning.

Many companies have introduced "BPA-free" products that substitute BPA for something else. While this seems great, the issue is that there is little evidence that these alternatives are any safer. This is simply because scientists have not had the time to study these yet. Because of this, we don't know for sure whether buying BPA-free products is an effective solution. BPA has also been found throughout our environment and is in various everyday items like receipts and electronics. This makes genuinely escaping exposure difficult, but we can still take action to protect ourselves.

To reduce exposure to BPA: