On March 9, 2021, the French Agency for Food, Environmental, and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) released a press statement on its proposal to list bisphenol B (BPB; CAS 77-40-7) as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) under the EU’s REACH regulation, similar to bisphenol A (BPA; CAS 80-05-7), due to its endocrine-disrupting properties.
BPB is described as currently being used in non-EU countries as an alternative to bisphenol A. However, according to a review completed by ANSES in October 2019, this chemical has “similar or even slightly more pronounced” endocrine disrupting properties compared to the substance bisphenol A it is intended to replace. The authors concluded that the data suggests BPB meets the World Health Organization (WHO) definition of an endocrine-disrupting chemical as it alters the function of the male reproductive system as well as presents a biologically plausible link to resulting adverse health effects.
With its proposal, ANSES aims to prevent further industrial use of BPB, regrettable substitution of BPA, and require importers to declare if it constitutes more than 0.1% of the product composition.
The proposed identification dossier is now open for public consultation on the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) website until April 23, 2021.
Read More
ANSES (March 9, 2021). “Le bisphénol B, un perturbateur endocrinien pour l’Homme et l’environnement.” (in French)
ECHA (March 2021). “Proposal for identification of a substance of very high concern on the basis of the criteria set out in reach article 57.” (pdf)
Philippe Richard (July 3 2021). “Des substituts du bisphénol A contiendraient aussi des substances nocives.” Maville (in French)
