Drinking water contaminations have affected water piped to more than 49 million Americans since 2004, according to an exhaustive study just completed by The New York Times. And while the government is aware of the violations, it has rarely fined or punished the violators.

On the USA Today BPA page, Frederick Vom Saal, a professor at the University of Missouri-Columbia, speaks on an audio recording. While the BPA concentrations used are low, he says, “this is a phenomenally potent chemical.” BPA has been linked with cancer and with late puberty in boys, early puberty in girls. The FDA has maintained that it thinks it is safe, but is currently reviewing its position, in the face of growing outcry.