In the August 2000 issue of Consumer Reports, an article comparing taste and cost for a range of bottled waters stated that bisphenol-A causes cancer.
Bisphenol-A is a chemical used in the manufacturing of polycarbonate plastic for five-gallon water cooler bottled and other food containers.
Upon contact from the American Plastics Council (APC) that said the allegation is incorrect, Consumer Reports responded with a failed attempt at a correction, which stated, "While there is a substantial body of scientific evidence that strongly suggests bisphenol-A is a carcinogen, it has not been officially classified as one."
According to the APC, this statement misleads the reader and is still false. APC reported that the "best available evidence does not support the claim that bisphenol-A is either a known or even suspected carcinogen," said Dr. James Lamb, a past president of the American Board of Toxicology formerly with the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency and the U.S. National Toxicology Program (NTP).
NTP conducted studies on bisphenol-A by using international protocols for testing carcinogenic potential, which concluded there was "no evidence that bisphenol-A was carcinogenic." Various other studies continually support these findings.
Products made for food contact that use bisphernol-A are accepted by all international regulatory agencies responsible for protecting human.
Dr. Steven G. Hentges, executive director of the Polycarbonate Business Unit at the American Plastics Council stated,"We're concerned that this misinformation could prevent consumers from drinking the 6-8 glasses of water they need every day for good health. Consumers who drink water from 5-gallon water coolers can feel confident in using polycarbonate containers."
(SOURCE American Plastics Council)
