The National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a statement regarding the FDA’s refusal to eliminate BPA from food packaging.
Dr. Sarah Janssen, senior scientist to the public health program at the agency said:
“BPA is a toxic chemical that has no place in our food supply. We believe FDA made the wrong call. The agency has failed to protect our health and safety – in the face of scientific studies that continue to raise disturbing questions about long-term effects of BPA exposures, especially in fetuses, babies, and young children.”
In 2008, the NRDC petitioned the FDA to eliminate BPA from food packages. After they received no response, in 2011 the NRDC sued the FDA in the U.S. District Court for the Southern District of New York. That court issued a consent decree requiring the FDA to respond to the petition by March 31, 2012.
The FDA did acknowledge that it had “some concerns” about bisphenol A and its effects on the brain in fetuses, infants, and young children. Some corporations, such as the Campbell’s Soup Company, are voluntarily removing the chemical from their packaging in response to consumer demand.
The NRDC said it is evaluating its next steps with staff attorneys and scientists.
