The European Human Biomonitoring Initiative, known as HBM4EU, together with the European Commission, the European Environment Agency, and researchers from 28 countries, has produced data showing how the population is exposed to one of the most scrutinized pollutants, bisphenol A. This substance is frequently linked to many plastics and related products, and the effort forms part of a broad program studying exposure to priority toxicants and their possible health effects.
Independent analysis from Hogar sin Toxicos summarizes the early findings, noting that every adult tested in Europe carried bisphenol A in their body. In addition, about half of the individuals analyzed showed the presence of other bisphenols such as bisphenol S and bisphenol F, which are increasingly replacing BPA in various products and materials where BPA was once common.
In total, 2,756 tests were conducted across 11 countries, representing a snapshot meant to reflect the wider population. According to Carlos de Prada, director of Hogar sin Toxicos, the European biomonitoring results align with the European Food Safety Authority’s concern about BPA levels and raise questions about current safety thresholds. He notes that the collected evidence supports calls to reevaluate the Acceptable Daily Intake, arguing for substantial reductions.
Statements urging precaution emphasize that even with past restrictions, the European public remains at risk of significant BPA exposure. Earlier recommendations, published a decade ago, urged authorities to ban BPA in all materials that come into contact with food, a measure not fully adopted in practice. The evidence indicates continued exposure through multiple pathways, including canned foods and thermal paper, which can carry substitute bisphenols into daily life.
Experts warn about health risks associated with BPA exposure, including potential impacts on neurodevelopment, birth weight, immune system development, fertility, obesity, metabolic disorders, hormone-related cancers, and cardiovascular disease. European biomonitoring data also show that BPA levels remain higher than some of its substitutes, such as BPS and BPF, which themselves may carry risks that merit scrutiny. Substitution materials are used across packaging and consumer products, contributing to ongoing exposure concerns.
The biomonitoring program highlights that replacements like BPS and BPF are not necessarily safer, with levels rising in some populations and potential effects resembling those of BPA. A notable observation concerns exposure of workers handling cash register receipts and other materials containing substitutes, underscoring everyday contexts where exposure can occur.
Cocktail effect
The HBM4EU assessment also stresses the cocktail effect, noting that combined exposure to multiple bisphenols and related chemicals can amplify health risks even when individual substances are present at low levels. Substitutes appear to exert similar biological effects to BPA, and studies suggest that mixed exposure can be linked to reduced semen quality in certain populations in Western countries.
The scientific community increasingly recognizes that these pollutants, categorized as endocrine disruptors, can trigger adverse health outcomes at very small concentrations. The challenge remains to determine a concentration level that could be deemed absolutely safe with confidence.
Recently, the European Commission released a Roadmap calling for tighter restrictions on many toxic substances and proposing joint restrictions or prohibitions for various bisphenols. The broader group includes more than 200 chemicals, with experts estimating that at least 37 may have hormone-modifying properties capable of causing effects at low concentrations. While BPA is the most well-known, emerging data show that several of its substitutes can also pose problems for health and the environment.
Environmental health teams continue to evaluate exposure pathways, regulatory options, and potential reductions in consumer risk as countries balance public health with practical considerations in industry and commerce.
In ongoing efforts to inform policy and public awareness, authorities aim to translate biomonitoring findings into actionable protections and safer alternatives for everyday products and packaging.
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