Bisphenol A: How Wal-Mart Became the New FDA
by Lloyd Alter, Toronto 
on 07.21.08
Marc Gunther of Fortune Magazine wrote a long and thoughtful piece on the Bisphenol A (BPA) controversy; he spiked much of it for Fortune because he found himself conflicted over the safety issues. He notes that the Federal Drug Administration didn't pull polycarbonate bottles off the shelves because of BPA (it still says they are safe) but Wal-Mart did, and wonders when retailers became the arbiters of safety.
"I’ve come to the conclusion that the BPA story is, in essence, about trust. It’s another bit of evidence to support my argument that it makes business sense in the long run for companies to be responsible and prudent, even if that costs them money today; regaining trust, once it’s been lost, is both terribly difficult and expensive. It also strikes me that industries that try to weaken government regulation or plant their own people inside regulatory agencies run the risk of getting burned in the end. That’s because when we lost trust in our regulators—as we seem to have lost faith in the FDA—we are [sic] left with mob rule, as manufacturers and retailers (i.e., Wal-Mart) come under pressure to stop making and selling perfectly legal products. Strong and predictable regulation, it seems to me, is better for business as well as for the rest of us than the chaos now surrounding BPA."
He concludes:
"There’s an irony here. Traditionally, industries have opposed strong regulation. They don’t want the government looking over their shoulder or telling them what products they can and cannot sell. The BPA saga might be a reason for companies to rethink that position—because, at least in this case, the fact that the government regulators are perceived as weak or under-funded or too friendly to industry has helped create the nightmare the chemical industry is now living."
Read the longer version on ::Greenbiz here or the abbreviated one on ::Fortune
TreeHugger on Bisphenol A
Bisphenol A Is In Your Tomato Sauce
Bisphenol A Could Be In Your Teeth
It's Official: Canada Declares Bisphenol A Toxic
BPA Danger may be greater from Tin Cans than Water Bottles
Don't Buy A Nalgene Water Bottle Until You Read This
Alternatives to Bisphenol A
Kor One: Reinventing the Water Bottle
Are Sigg Aluminum Bottles BPA Free?
Nalgene Dumps Bisphenol A Like Hot Potato
Ovopur: A Water Filter that Looks Good
Follow @TreeHugger on Twitter & get our headlines with @TH_rss!
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There was a lot of press coverage on BPA and how terrible it was (as I recall, I first read about it here, at Treehugger). Even going to buy a Nalgene bottle now, I find signs and notes from Nalgene about the safety of their product.
Wal-mart made a very intelligent decision pulling BPA-products off of shelves due to what may have been only a rumor. Can you imagine the kind of bad press they'd get if they'd left Nalgene on the shelves after BPA was largely denounced as a horrible substance dangerous to my health?
I think this article is primarily looking to throw around blame and avoid the fact that a rumor of bodily harm is a very good method for influencing people. It's all about communication rhetoric.
Whilst Wal-Mart might not be perfect but it's got a number of aspects that put it above government:
it's much more efficient.
it's more transparent.
it's honest (we're here to make money not ...).
and from a UK perspective it's a damn site more attractive than Gordon Brown.
So Wal-Mart for pm/president is my motto with the tag-line 'vote for big business; miss out the middlemen' - it might just be the end of politicians as we know them...
Technically, isn't the FDA still correct or at least being consistent with their stance on BPA? I mean, the Teflon coating on pots and pans is certainly toxic but safe for normal use. Likewise, the BPA in certain water bottles is also safe for normal use -- only leeching into drinking water under high temperatures. For Walmart to be consistent, they should stop selling teflon-coated pots and pans. Shouldn't they?
And Walmart has long been imposing their safety on consumers. They don't carry certain video games or at least in the past have pulled them from their shelves. Apparently they think the video games are more dangerous than the guns.
Allison says it may only be a rumor that BPA is dangerous, stradric thinks that the FDA is correct in saying BPA is not dangersous.
Read this article:
http://www.ourstolenfuture.org/newscience/oncompounds/bisphenola/2003/2003-0401huntetal.htm
and tell me if you have changed your mind.
The FDA under Bush is full of ex- industry insiders who disregard science routinely. I am not going to trust my health to them. You can if you want.
It all depends on who's ox is gored, doesn't it. Walmart ban BHA, good. Walmart ban video games and sexually suggestive cds, bad. Walmart sell gun, bad. Walmart sell and push compact flourescent, good.
Agenda driven commentary, pure and simple.
This isn't a case of acting out of public concern, it was a publicity stunt. How much extra positive publicity do they get for pulling a few products off their vast shelves?
And what a sad day when someone (from the UK no less!) thinks that an unaccountable and unelected multinational corporation is more trustworthy than the government!
The dangers of BHA is not something someone just dreamt up and decided to spread misinformation.
Certain scientists have been warning us about this for ~20yrs now. Its original use was for pregnant woman, to stop morning sickness. It is hormonal.
But they found DES to work better and so freely gave it to pregnant women. And all the usual talking heads said it was safe, just like they do today about a number of products. Now they find the offspring of these women are susceptible to various reproductive cancers.
The plastics industry found a use for the Bisphenol A and we've been living with it since.
Furthermore, the Canadian gov't scientists have found that it is dangerous for children. It is a hormone disruptor and no one needs that esp children. They have banned it in baby products.
It should be banned from all food and water sources and I commend any retailer that takes the initiative towards our safety.
~80% of all breast cancer cases have no known risk factors. That means it's not in their family history, they had their kids at the right time...etc.
In other words no one knows why they got it.
~80% of those cases are estrogen positive, meaning any estrogen will feed the tumour.
Those who oppose this initiative obviously have never had breast cancer.