Plastics chemical causes heart disease, researchers confirm
The chemical found in plastic food and drink containers causes heart disease, researchers have confirmed. Traces of the chemical, BPA (Biphenol A), are detectable in 90 per cent of people. The link to heart disease has been established by researchers from the Peninsula Medical School at the University of Exeter, who studied BPA levels in a large US population study over a three-year period. The study provides further ammunition to those campaigning for a complete ban of the chemical. Several countries have banned the chemical in baby feeding bottles and toys after concerns that it posed a health risk to infants. But the chemicals industry is likely to fight a complete ban. It is one of the most highly-produced chemicals in the world, with over 2.2 million tonnes (6.4 billion pounds) manufactured every year. (Source: PLos ONE, 2010; 5: e8673).
