FW: Don't Let rehetoric cloud scientific evidence on BPA-

From: George [mailto:gmorgjr@sbcglobal.net]
Sent: Thursday, September 10, 2009 11:51 AM
To: 'letters@mercurynews.com'
Subject: Don't Let rehetoric cloud scientific evidence on BPA-

Yes on SB797

Re: http://www.mercurynews.com/opinion/ci_13301791?nclick_check=1

I appreciated Mr. Shestek’s thoughtful and researched response to the pending legislation on bisphenol A-BPA (Merc News, Opinion, Sept. 10. I agree with his conclusion that the expert panels, and government watchdogs make a compelling case that California could be over-reacting to the risks posed by BPA. That is a very robust and substantial list of expert opinion cited in this article.

But I think there is another side to the scientific debate, which is that BPA mimics a very potent human hormone. Science does not yet know how potent, because, as Mr. Shestek points out, there is little hard cause and effect evidence to link illness or human and/or animal reaction specifically to BPA.

Well, back in the 50’s, the same thing could be said for the risks of above ground nuclear testing. The downwind deaths of livestock and high exposure rates were not a goal of those tests, but were certainly a result.

Likewise, in the 70’s and 80’s here in Silicon Valley, we had restrictions, but not the right ones, on the heavy metals and complex solvents that were released into the environment as we developed the semiconductor technology we all appreciate today.

Now today, we see transexed fish in areas near run off from urban water treatment plants, and we don’t know how these anomalies are happening, but BPA is a likely suspect. http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/09/05/AR2006090501384.html

So I think another very reasonable scientific argument , and a common sense one, is that as we continue to produce the large amounts of plastics we depend on, let’s avoid complicated molecules that resemble powerful human and animal hormones. This is the same logic that pharmaceutical companies must follow to introduce a new drug…they have to spend years proving there are no side effects, because, there is no evidence that this new compound is safe until proven otherwise. BPA is an unfortunate and risky choice for plastic compounding and processing. Let’s slow down on introducing more risks into the environment that we all live in. SB797 is a good start, and will help drive the market place to find less risky alternatives.

George Martin