Regulating Bisphenols – why and how?

Bisphenols are widely used in the consumer products industry as a precursor chemical with other chemical products to manufacture plastics and resins. However, some of the chemicals pertaining to this group are now under the gaze of restrictions due to the documented hazards they present to the environment and our health.

Bisphenols are followed by a letter that refers to its reactant chemical, in this case Bisphenol-A (Acetone), also known as BPA. This is one of the substances that is identified as an endocrine disruptor and is heavily used in plastics, such as polycarbonates, epoxy resins or polysulfone.

Where can you find BPA?

BPA has been used in polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin for decades.
Polycarbonate plastic is a strong and tough material that can be moulded at certain elevated temperatures. Products made of polycarbonate plastic include all sorts of consumer products used in our daily lives, such as reusable plastic tableware, drinking bottles, sports equipment, CDs and DVDs.

Epoxy resins containing BPA are used to coat the inside of water pipes or cans for food and drink to increase their shelf-life and avoid leaving a metallic taste on the food or drink.
BPA has also been used to develop dye in thermal paper for sales receipts and public transport and parking tickets. Since January 2020, such paper with BPA is no longer allowed in the EU market.

What are the concerns?

BPA may damage fertility and has been identified as a substance affecting the hormonal systems of humans and animals. In addition, it damages the eyes and may cause allergic skin reactions and respiratory irritation.

How is this substance being regulated?

At the European level, for instance, BPA has been harmonised for classification and labelling as a substance that:

• causes toxic effects on our ability to reproduce (Repr. 1B);
• may cause respiratory irritation (STOT SE 3);
• causes serious eye damage (eye dam. 1); and
• may cause skin allergies (skin sens. 1).

It has been classified as well as SVHC and listed in the Candidate List of Substance of very high concern due to its toxicity for reproduction and endocrine-disrupting properties that may cause adverse effects to people's health and to the environment.

It is also a substance that is restricted in the Annex XVII of REACH Regulation in mixtures and in articles (thermal paper).

BPA is widely restricted worldwide in food contact materials, infant feeding bottles and utensils. There is a limitation on the amount of BPA that might be leached from toys for children up to three years old and in any toys that are intended to be placed in a child's mouth as well.

What is the regulatory landscape for BPA in the future?

Not only is BPA now under the watchful gaze of regulators, but related substances are also being monitored for possible restricting actions to avoid the substitution of substances with similar harmful properties.

In that sense, since early 2020, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and EU Member States have started screening data on a large group of bisphenols such as BPA, BPS, BPF and their derivatives.

In addition, France and Sweden have both proposed the restriction on the sale of textile, leather, hide and fur articles containing skin sensitising substances in these two consumer markets.

Among these, more than 1000 substances are classified under Regulation 1272/2008 on Chemicals Labelling and Packaging (CLP) as Skin Sens. 1/1A/1B and/or Skin irrit. 2 and/or Skin corr. 1/1A/1B/1C, and several BPA derivatives will likely face restrictions if the proposals are eventually adopted.

Within the Eurofins Toys and Hardlines network of laboratories, our expertise in chemicals can support you to analyse different Bisphenols such as BPA, BPB, BPF, BPS, BPP and BPZ and achieve regulatory compliance.
Learn more about our chemical testing services today: https://www.eurofins.com/toys-hardlines/services/testing-services/chemical-testing/.