France calls for ban on till-slip chemical

A year-and-a-half after South Africa became the first African country to ban Bishpenol A in baby bottles, France went a step further, calling for Europe-wide controls for paper products containing the chemical, such as receipts from cash registers.

Bishpenol A, or BPA, is a building block that creates polycarbonate, the hard clear plastic used in products from bike helmets to credit cards.

The controversial chemical, a hormone disrupter that mimics oestrogen, has been linked to breast cancer, prostate cancer, infertility, diabetes, obesity and heart disease.

Dr Carl Albrecht, head of research at the Cancer Association of SA, lauded France's announcement, but said South Africa had not done enough.

"Tremendous pressure must be brought to bear because there is no doubt that BPA is also playing a role in adults and adults don't use a baby bottle."

BPA is pervasive, found in everyday objects such as plastic bottles, the lining of tin food cans, drink cans, water coolers, CDs, DVDs and paper receipts from ATMs and shop tills.

But since South African law covers only baby bottles, other plastic products can contain BPA.

Though Albrecht said South Africa's endeavour had been mostly successful, his team found at least two Dis-Chem pharmacies, in Gauteng and Western Cape, selling baby bottles containing BPA six months ago. They were removed from the shelves and the association was working with government inspectors to identify baby bottles with BPA, he said.

Babies and children are more vulnerable to BPA. Its effects sometimes take as long as 30 years to manifest.

Nick Groves, who owns an H20 International Franchise, said he sold water-cooling and purification systems containing BPA.

His company conducted about four tests a year to detect if BPA had leaked from the plastic into the water.

"We haven't picked up anything yet and we have had two national conferences about it," Groves said.

Martin Wells, national chair of the Plastics Institute of Southern Africa, said South Africa did not need to follow France's example.

"I think it's necessary for people to be better informed," he said.

When a bottle or can containing BPA is heated up, as many as 55 more BPA molecules are released.

But Albrecht said that cans were often heated during the manufacturing process for sterilisation, even before consumers put them in the microwave.

For Albrecht, BPA-free bottles were just the tip of the iceberg.

"When we get to stuff being made in South Africa, it will be extremely difficult."