Post by Luc Vanheel

' Europe bans 'substance of very high concern' BPA from cans, but 685 tons are still produced daily in Antwerp Isabelle Vanhoutte, freelance journalist and author of 'Lek' (EPO) Core message (AI) Europe will ban BPA in food packaging from July 2026, yet Covestro in the Port of Antwerp still produces 685 tons of BPA per day . BPA is a hormone‑disrupting chemical linked to fertility issues, neurological development problems, and multiple modern diseases . 1. Scientific understanding of BPA EFSA drastically lowered the safe daily intake to 0.2 nanograms/kg—a 20,000‑fold reduction . BPA mimics oestrogen, disrupting biological processes, especially during pregnancy and early childhood . Evidence links BPA exposure to: Autism risk in boys with slower metabolism (up to 6.5× higher likelihood) Lower sperm quality, PCOS, diabetes type 2, obesity, ADHD Many scientists now suspect no safe exposure threshold exists . 2. Industrial reality in Antwerp Covestro is permitted to produce 250,000 tons of BPA per year (≈685 tons/day) . BPA is used in polycarbonate plastics for electronics, construction materials, helmets, and car lights . BPA is extremely cheap (≈$1.57/kg) due to petrochemical infrastructure and oil‑derived feedstocks . 3. Lobbying and regulation Covestro is active in powerful lobby groups Plastics Europe and Cefic, which has a budget > €10 million . The industry repeatedly sued EU regulators to contest BPA’s classification as hormone‑disrupting—and lost every case . Provincial permits for Covestro since 2017 do not mention BPA’s hormone‑disrupting properties . Advice from the Department of Health was often missing or outdated (from 2016) . 4. Environmental and health impacts BPA is released when polycarbonate breaks, degrades, or becomes waste, including via microplastics . BPA is found: In landfill leachate, often at the highest concentrations among measured chemicals In air around electronic waste recycling sites In rivers across Flanders and in the blood of 86% of Flemish adolescents Groundwater contamination is particularly concerning for people using private wells . 5. Broader societal signals 1 in 6 couples faces fertility problems . Sperm quality has been declining for years . Behavioural issues among children have risen sharply (+50% CLB reports in 10 years) . Plastic production rose from <0.5 kg per person (1950) to ~50 kg today, increasing chronic exposure to chemical additives like BPA . 6. Conclusion Despite stricter EU rules and mounting scientific concern, BPA production in Antwerp continues at massive scale. The regulatory framework—though among the strictest globally—has not yet succeeded in reducing real‑world exposure, and BPA remains ubiquitous in the environment and human bodies .' https://lnkd.in/e7izEBKX