2015-01-21 12:38:57
For several years, bisphenol A has been the subject of numerous scientific investigations as to its effect on health, in particular due to the fact that this substance is suspected of being an endocrine disruptor and that it is present in a large number of articles and products on the market.
In this context, in 2008 ANSES launched several expert appraisals on the subject. In April 2013, the Agency thus published the results of an assessment of the health risks associated with bisphenol A. In conclusion of this work, ANSES recommended a reduction in exposure to bisphenol A and set as a priority objective the prevention of exposure of the most sensitive populations (infants, young children and pregnant or breastfeeding women).
The EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has launched a major project aimed in particular at reassessing the effect of bisphenol A on health.
In January 2014, the European Authority published for consultation its draft opinion on the health risks associated with BPA and proposed in particular a reduction in the tolerated daily intake, established on a provisional basis, with a view to preventing the risks which it considered to be low with respect to consumer exposure. ANSES had contributed to this consultation in the form of an opinion in which it underlined the important scientific work carried out by EFSA but nevertheless pointed to differences in assessment, in particular concerning the taking into account of uncertainties, as well as differences of interpretation in the analysis of available studies.
The French Agency and the European Agency have met on several occasions to work on these points of divergence. In its final report published today, EFSA concludes that BPA does not present a health risk to consumers at current levels of exposure (via food, but also thermal papers or cosmetics) but nevertheless recommends a significant reduction in the tolerated daily intake of bisphenol A. ANSES is pleased with the quality of the discussions, in particular concerning the consideration of uncertainties, and if differences in assessment persist, the European Agency and the French Agency are continuing their collaboration, in particular with a view to methodological harmonization.
Lastly, as the pace of publications on the health effects of BPA remains high and regular, the state of scientific knowledge continues to evolve and ANSES is continuing its work of monitoring and improving knowledge of this substance.
In addition, ANSES had proposed in 2012 a stricter classification of BPA as toxic for reproduction under the CLP regulations.(1). Following a favorable opinion from ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) on this proposal in March 2014, the European Commission should soon resume this revised harmonized classification via an amendment to Annex VI of the CLP Regulation. A classification in category 1B (presumed reprotoxic potential for human beings) will have the direct consequences of the application of more severe regulatory measures, in particular the obligation to put in place reinforced prevention measures for the professional uses of bisphenol A ( primarily its substitution), or the ban on the marketing of substances and mixtures containing more than 0.3% bisphenol A for consumers.
Finally, a dossier seeking to request a restriction on the use of BPA in thermal papers prepared by ANSES under the REACh regulations is currently being examined by ECHA, which should issue its opinion in the coming weeks.
(1) CLP : Classification, Labelling, Packaging
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