Year in review: BPA alternatives aren’t benign
Replacements cause problems in lab animals
By Janet Raloff
A popular alternative to bisphenol A isn’t as benign as people had thought, at least not in lab animals.
After a growing body of research identified hormone-mimicking effects from BPA — a compound found in some plastics, dental sealants and cash register receipts — consumers began reaching for BPA-free products. But there is now evidence that at least one of the chemical substitutes, bisphenol S, can enter the body and trigger developmental and physiological changes.