The European Environment Agency (EEA) briefing, based on data collected from an EU human biomonitoring study, concluded that up to 100% of the individuals taking part from 11 EU countries were likely exposed to the chemical above safe health thresholds. This increases the significant health concerns for the wider EU population.
Thee EEF briefing presents the latest information on human exposure to Bisphenol A, taking into account the recently concluded EU-funded human biomonitoring research project (HBM4EU). The briefing also highlights the potential health risks resulting from individuals who are exposed to unsafe levels of the chemical Bisphenol A.
The EU is extremely concerned about the high-volume use of Bisphenol A in many consumer products and its impact on human health. Mainly through diet, individuals are exposed to Bisphenol A, since Bisphenol A is included in a range of plastics which is commonly used in packing for food and beverages.
In April the European food Safety Agency (EFSA) published its newest scientific opinion re-evaluating the risks to public health due to exposure to Bisphenol A. it also mentioned that there is a present health concern from dietary Bisphenol exposure, mainly from canned food goods, which was found to be the most important exposure source for all age groups.
EFSA concludes that Bisphenol A cand damage the human immune system by very low doses. The latest HBM4EU human biomonitoring data supports EFSA’s conclusion that there is a health concern for Europeans from exposure to Bisphenol A. human biomonitoring provides correct measurements of total internal exposure resulting from multiple sources of exposure.
From January 2017 to June 2022, the European human biomonitoring project, HBM4EU was conducted and generated Europe-wide, harmonized human biomonitoring data on the occurrence of chemicals in the European population and associated impacts on health.
Bisphenol A and two other bisphenols used as substitutes for BPA (bisphenol S and bisphenol F) were measured in urine from 2,756 adults from across 11 countries, namely Poland, Portugal, Switzerland, Luxembourg, Croatia, Denmark, Czechia, Iceland, France, Finland and Germany, representing north, east, south and west Europe. The countries which participated in the biomonitoring for BPA, the level of exceedance varied between 71% to 100%.
It should be noted that the limit of quantification of the analytical methods used to monitor BPA in human urine is above the human biomonitoring guidance value (HBM-GV). This indicates that the reported exceedances are minimum numbers; the probability exists that mainly all 11 countries have exceedance rates of 100% exposed above safe levels.
