Is this whole BPA scare overblown?

Probably overblown, though on the range from total unconcern to extreme caution, I lean toward the former.

But frankly, I think “scare” about almost everything is overblown, not just by the press but by the guy who lives next door who heard something scary from someone he knows.

In my professional opinion YES and no! I work with raw BPA (bishpenol A) aka epoxy resin every day….it’s what I do. Yes it is a chemical, yes it can do chemical things to you if mishandled….yes it has potential to cause harm to living tissue again if mishandled or misused. But IMO, it is the co-ingredients that are the trouble makers, the phenols (plasticizers), the ethers (solvents) and other low molecular weight monomers that again are used in conjunction with BPA’s that are much more problematic in their own right than BPA. The sticking point (no pun intended) is that these other ingredients are in such a small percentage they do not get the attention the larger percentage ingredients get.

I cannot offer a smoking gun for arguments sake but anything plastic including epoxies are made up of chemicals…some natural some synthesized but each one has it’s own baggage and it comes down to use and safety of the chemistry formula. I would drink raw BPA epoxy over any other polymer in my industry and when properly mixed and cured, epoxy is about as safe as it gets. Again it comes back to what else is being formulated into the resin system that becomes a culprit if not the main culprit toward potential health related issues.

A very complex issue for which there is no easy answer and IMO way too much room for error in judgment and regulation there of the use and implementation of chemical formulas!! Bottled water???? Canned veggies in BPA lined cans?? You mean bottled and canned chemicals??? Buy stuff fresh, in bulk or glass…I do!! Less worries there!

Whether or not it proves to be overblown, I think it’s a huge mistake to assume that new chemicals are safe until proven otherwise.

@Qingu, GA!