Maine Gov. Paul LePage (R) has dismissed the dangers of the chemical bisphenol-A, the effects of which are being debated in the state’s legislature this session, saying that as far as he can tell, the worst side effect is that “some women may have little beards.”BPA is a common additive to plastics, but several recent scientific studies have found that it may have adverse effects when young children are exposed to it. According to one January 2010 study by the FDA, there was some evidence that BPA had a concerning effect on the “brain, behavior, and prostate gland in fetuses, infants, and young children.” In October 2010, Canada became the first country to declare BPA toxic. The EU has banned it in plastic baby bottles.
This is a companion discussion topic for the original entry at https://talkingpointsmemo.com/?p=114324