A leading environmental group filed suit Monday against the Federal Drug Administration (FDA), charging it with foot-dragging in protecting the public from bisphenyl A (BPA). BPA is a synthetic estrogen used in food packaging, widely believed to be damaging to health, especially for children and fetuses.

My sister sent me an article from the Albuquerque Journal dated May 9, 2009: “Artificial sweetener effective bug killer.” In it, Richard Fagerlund, “the bugman,” advises readers on issues involving getting rid of pests. Here’s an effective way to get rid of ants and mice: just put some powdered Aspartame in a dish, and they’ll eat it up and die. “It’s a very powerful ant and mouse killer,” wrote Fagerlund.

So it’s harmless for humans? NOT! Now, doesn’t this make you question the usefulness and integrity of the FDA, which is supposed to be protecting us??

A blog called BPAPlastic.com posted an article recently about BPA contamination in the oceans. BPA is of course bisphenol A, a synthetic estrogen and carcinogen used to strengthen and condition plastic. Scientists have found BPA contamination in seawater and sand at the shores of several different countries, said the blog, and are working to investigate further.

“BPA is just the tip of the iceberg. The plastics industry has a responsibility to ensure that its products are safe,” says Vicky Health of the journal Nature.

Sen. Dianne Feinstein of California is convinced too that BPA is harmful, and that we shouldn’t wait to ban it–there are enough studies now. She is pushing for a ban on BPA in food containers now.

The FDA has issued a statement saying it is looking into BPA safety, after enduring years of clamor on the subject from critics.

The Environmental Working Group, which advocates for clean water and other topics, announced it is troubled by the study’s results because it indicates BPA affects not only children, but adults.

Currently, it’s the other way around: compounds are allowed to proliferate in our food and water until they are proven unsafe. And what constitutes proof? In the case of BPA, there are many more studies showing it unsafe than safe, but the compound continues to be approved by the FDA, at least for now.

The Washington Post published an article May 31 describing a strategy session involving bisphenol A (BPA) packaging manufacturers and large users, such as Coca Cola. The Post obtained notes from the meeting and corroborated them with a second attendee.

Strategizers suggested a $500,000 public relations campaign, ideally captained by a pregnant young woman willing to speak around the country about the benefits of BPA.