Why is Bisphenol A used in the production of plastics and is there a safer alternative?

Question

Why is Bisphenol A used in the production of plastics and is there a safer alternative?

Answer 1

Bisphenol A is used because it works, it's as simple as that. Bisphenol A is used to make polycarbonate plastics, and alternatives exist for certain uses for polycarbonates such as bottles, but not other uses, such as CDs, lenses, etc.

Bisphenol A is a dangerous substance, but it exists in the polycarbonate in less than parts per billion amounts in a high Tg medium, making extraction very difficult if not impossible. It's just the latest bogeyman chemical. In a recent Chemical & Engineering News article, the most recent results of testing on polycarbonate bisphenol A safety were inconclusive at worst, harmless at best. I say polycarbonate is safe, period.

Answer 2

Bisphenol A originally came into use in the epoxy resin areas and polycarbonate came along which also used this very functional raw material.  It is also used as an antioxidant in a lot of molded rubber articles.

Detection and safety are very different issues.  Although tests show that very little BPA is released, the health effects seem to show that this amount is harmful.  The bottom line in health is that the biological effects are what is important.  

There are many other plastics which do not contain BPA which can be used instead.   Polypropylene and polyethylene do not contain BPA.