In South Africa, there is no law preventing toxic chemicals like bisphenol A (BPA) from being used in most food packaging, even though research shows that exposure can begin in the womb and continue to harm children’s development long into adolescence.
In most households, plastic plates and cups are a staple for children as parents see them as practical, unbreakable, and easy to clean. But for a Johannesburg mother and IT specialist Kuhle Lephole, glassware is the only option for everyone in her home.
Her two daughters, Mphonyane and Seithathi, both under the age of 10, mostly eat and drink from porcelain bowls or cups, and don’t eat tinned food. Lephole believes this is the only way to make sure they are protected from BPA (bisphenol A) exposure – a synthetic chemical used to harden plastic products, and used as a coating on the inside of many food and beverage cans to stop them from rusting and to prevent bacterial contamination of food.
Her caution is not misplaced. BPA, which was banned in baby bottles in South Africa back in 2011, is classified as a “hormone disruptor” because it mimics the female hormone oestrogen, interfering with the body’s natural hormone balance. It can affect fertility, reproduction, and brain development, with exposure during pregnancy and infancy posing the greatest risk.
Toxic traces of BPA in breastmilk
New research among breastfeeding mothers in Montreal, Pretoria, and a rural Limpopo district, Vembe, found that diets including tinned foods and the use of plastic containers to warm food in microwaves exposed mothers to high levels of BPA. As a result, the chemical was detected in their breast milk, potentially affecting their babies’ growth.
The study found that breast milk samples from Vhembe contained higher levels of BPA and other synthetic chemicals such as BPS (Bisphenol S) and BPAF (Bisphenol AF), which are often used as replacement for BPA but are considered as potential hormone disruptors as well. In Montreal, only BPS was detected.
The effects of BPA on babies varied by location. Babies in Vhembe whose mothers had much higher BPA levels (about 10-fold) during pregnancy were born with slightly smaller head (about 3mm smaller) circumferences, while in Pretoria, BPAF exposure was associated with greater infant growth and larger head size, suggesting these chemicals affected growth in different ways.
According to the World Health Organisation (WHO) a normal head circumference at birth is about 34–35 cm, depending on the baby’s sex. It is one of three growth checks that healthcare workers perform at birth, along with weight and length, to check brain growth and development. The size of the head is considered a window into brain growth and shows important information about the health and nutritional status of an infant.
University of Cape Town (UCT) researcher Jescica Spannenberg, who studies BPA’s impact on vulnerable South Africans, says despite a ban on BPA in baby bottles in SA, children remain vulnerable to the chemical not only through mothers’ diets, but also because they often put BPA-containing objects in their mouths, increasing their risk of ingesting the chemical. These included teethers, sippy cups and toys.
Spannenberg says the continued use of BPA in everyday products shows that the public health concern goes far beyond baby bottles.
“Children are especially sensitive to BPA’s hormone-disrupting effects because their bodies and immune systems are still developing, making them more vulnerable to metabolic disorders and cognitive problems from long-term exposure.”
From the womb to adolescence
A 2025 systematic review of over 15 000 children under the age of 12, found BPA exposure to be a risk factor for neurodevelopmental disorders such as autism spectrum disorder (ASD), attention deficit hyperactivity disorder (ADHD), and communication disorders.
Among boys, BPA was most closely linked to motor disorders, ASD, and ADHD, while in girls, it was associated with ADHD and cognitive impairments.
BPA exposure is also linked to type 2 diabetes, obesity, and increased risk of cardiovascular diseases.
A Spanish study of about 300 boys aged 9-11, which investigated whether BPA levels in urine were linked to signs of excess body fat, found that boys with higher levels of BPA in their urine were more likely to be overweight or have extra fat around their waist.
The global shift-and South Africa’s lag
The European Union (EU), which previously banned BPA on baby bottles in 2011, has since banned BPA in all food contact materials across all age groups. It now prohibits the use of BPA in food contact products such as coatings on metal cans, reusable plastic drink bottles and water coolers.
The EU decision is based on a scientific assessment from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). After evaluating over 800 studies it noted an increase in the percentage of a type of white blood cell, called T-helper, that plays a key role in cellular immune mechanisms. An increase of this could lead to the development of allergic lung inflammation and autoimmune disorders.
In contrast, South Africa has no specific law regulating BPA in food packaging. The Department of Health confirmed that while discussions are under way to extend regulations, no impact assessment has been done on the 2011 baby bottle ban, or its effectiveness.
“There is a recognised need for reducing exposure to all contaminants through food sources and thus specific regulations that cover food contact materials beyond the current ban of BPA materials in infant feeding bottles, have been under internal discussion,” says department spokesperson Foster Mohale.
“There is a recognised need to reduce exposure to all contaminants through food sources. We’re discussing specific regulations to cover food contact materials beyond the current ban on infant bottles.”
Foster Mohale, Department of Health spokesperson
Calls for tighter oversight and regulation
The Cancer Association of South Africa (Cansa), which campaigned for the BPA baby bottle ban, has called the detection of BPA in breastmilk “concerning” and urged the government to tighten regulations on BPA in all food containers, similar to measures in China and the EU.
Cansa CEO, Elize Joubert says while banning BPA in baby bottles was an important step for South Africa, restricting the ban to baby bottles alone is not enough given the ongoing BPA exposure and its health implications for babies.
“While breastmilk remains the safest and most nutritious form of infant nutrition, these findings underscore ongoing environmental exposure to endocrine-disrupting chemicals like BPA,” she says.
Going forward, CANSA supports comprehensive solutions including tighter regulatory controls on BPA in all food-contact plastics, enhanced public education on BPA exposure reduction, and research into safer alternatives.”
Prof Anna Coutsoudis, a public health scientist at the University of KwaZulu-Natal and founder of Durban’s iThemba Lethu Breast Milk Bank, expressed worry about traces of BPA in breastmilk, but cautioned this should not discourage breastfeeding, which remains “the best nutrition for babies”, up to the age of 2 years.
While most South Africa’s milk banks are playing their part through their strict guidelines and use only BPA-free bottles or glass for storage and pasteurisation, she believes poorer mothers who cannot afford BPA-free products remain the most at risk of BPA exposure. She called for stricter monitoring of BPA in baby products.
“The food industry is the biggest culprit (using) cheap ingredients which are so dangerous for our health. Government should be making very strong efforts insisting on package labelling and families should be encouraged to be aware of the dangers of processed foods and drinks especially for children who are more vulnerable to the effects of toxins.”
-Health-e News
