Cereplast,
Inc. (OTCBB:CERP), manufacturer of proprietary bio-based sustainable
plastics, applauds the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for demanding
increased study of the long-term effects of Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure.
“The increased level of safety, coupled with the fact that
bioplastics are renewable and eco-friendly means less potential for
opposition in regards to their expanded use, especially in applications
such as toys, food service ware, infant furniture, etc.”
BPA is a manufacturing chemical employed mainly in the production of
clear and hard plastics known as "polycarbonate” and is found in a great
number of consumer products including baby bottles and recyclable water
bottles. It is also used in epoxy resins, a thermosetting resin, which
is used as a protective lining on the inner side of beverage cans and
metal-based food tins.
“After a multitude of research, the FDA expressed concern regarding the
potential harmful effects of BPA and the increased risks of cancer for
humans -- reversing
the agency's controversial 2008 ruling,” said Frederic Scheer,
Founder, Chairman and CEO of Cereplast, Inc.
After the repeated urging of consumer and watchdog groups at the end of
the past decade, the FDA, which initially approved the use of BPA as a
food contact subject or indirect food additive in the late 1960s, began
reinvestigating the chemical’s use in products that come in contact with
food. As part of its recent statement, the FDA called for additional BPA
studies by both government and non-government organizations and also
announced a set of studies by its own National Center for Toxicological
Research focusing on the safety of low doses of BPA.
“While even the most recent studies documenting the effects of BPA on
humans are largely inconclusive and the FDA has made no moves of yet to
ban the substance in plastics, bioplastics provide the safe alternative.
Bioplastics firms like Cereplast are offering BPA-free alternatives and
finding ourselves in greater favor among consumers and manufacturers,”
said Scheer. “The increased level of safety, coupled with the fact that
bioplastics are renewable and eco-friendly means less potential for
opposition in regards to their expanded use, especially in applications
such as toys, food service ware, infant furniture, etc.”
In the interim, the U.S. Department of Health and Human Services has
released recommended ways for the public to reduce their exposure to BPA
at http://www.hhs.gov/safety/bpa.
Cereplast offers two families of resins: Cereplast Compostables®
are renewable, ecologically sound substitutes for petroleum-based
plastic products that replace nearly 100% of the petroleum-based
additives used in traditional plastics with bio-based material such as
corn, wheat, tapioca and potato starches. Cereplast Compostables® are a
proprietary and patented formulation from Cereplast using Ingeo®
biopolymers from NatureWorks. Cereplast Hybrids® are resins consisting
of traditional polyolefins with up-to 50% renewable content. Cereplast
recently announced the launch of an Algae Plastic that will substitute
agricultural feedstock with algae as soon as 2011.