science

Recently, a study by scientist Justin Teeguarden has been circulating the news due to its claim that bisphenol A is not a significant threat to the human body. Tom Philpott of Mother Jones writes that Teeguarden gave a presentation at the American Association for the Advancement of Science last month that assured those present that the amount of bisphenol A needed to successfully mimic estrogen in the human body was much higher than the  dosages consumers get from products containing BPA. In other words, Teeguarden asserted, BPA is not a concern to the consumer.

An article published via Waste & Recycling News yesterday shared the story of a group of scientists who feel they have a solution to the ever-present problem of keeping plastics out of  the ocean: classifying it as toxic waste. According to the article, this group of scientists is calling upon the 1989 Montreal Protocol, which classified chlorofluorocarbons as toxic waste and achieved a successful result in limiting their presence in the environment. 

The chemical compounds known as phthalates were found to be present in ants during a study conducted by entomologist Dr. Alain Lenoir, according to a new article posted on Inhabitat.com. Contributor Morgana Matus writes that even these tiny organisms were found to be susceptible to the chemical compound, which is released into the atmosphere as plastics degrade. Matus reports:

The findings of a new study have associated rising levels of bisphenol A in the urine samples of children with kidney and liver problems, according to an article published today by MSN Healthy Living. The article states that a study from New York University's School of Medicine analyzed data from more than 700 children and teens ages 6-19 for the purposes of the research, and found that:

Despite the growing number of conflicting studies and concerns, the United States Food and Drug Administration insists to this day that the chemical bisphenol A is safe for human consumption. BPA is a chemical the average consumer ingests on a fairly regular basis, often unconsciously. According to an article in the Epoch Times, "toxicity" is a concept that many industry and science officials don't seem to agree on -- a term with a particularly flexible definition. Conan Milner writes: 

A disturbing article on Grist.org today announces that a new study on bisphenol A has found evidence of multi-generational effects of exposure to the endocrine disrupting hormone. Contributor Tom Laskawy writes that evidence of genetic alterations as a result of BPA exposure have indeed been found, and that these alterations occurred after exposures equivalent to those people experience on a daily basis. Laskawy states:

In a piece published by Scientific American on Monday, scientists Frederick S. vom Saal and Patricia A. Hunt discuss their research on the effects bisphenol-A can have on the body, and the United States Food and Drug Administration's descision to classify BPA as harmless to humans. According to vom Saal and Hunt, there have been hundreds of peer reviewed studies which have proved the detrimental effects of bisphenol-A, a number of which they have personally contributed to.