Jakarta, CNBC Indonesia – Dr. Richard Lee’s TikTok upload has caused a stir again, after stating that the packaging for a brand of drinking water manufacturer in Indonesia still uses Bisphenol A or BPA.

In his upload, the influencer on social media revealed that the material used by drinking water companies has even been banned in Europe as gallons for packaging drinking water.

“And it is very surprising, the biggest brands in Indonesia still use polycarbonate which still contains BPA contamination,” he said on his TikTok account @drichardlee quoted, Saturday (14/10/2023).

So is water contaminated with BPA dangerous? The following is an explanation from a number of experts.

What is CPA?

Before understanding whether BPA contamination in drinking water is dangerous or not, it is important to understand what BPA is.

Reported by the Mayo Clinic, BPA is an industrial chemical used to make polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin since 1950. Generally, polycarbonate plastic and epoxy resin are used as food containers, drinking bottles, plastic water bottles, and hygiene products.

In a study published by Cancer Research UK in 2021, it was found that BPA was proven not to cause cancer. This is because the levels of BPA contained in plastic containers or packaging are still very low so it is still safe if it enters the human body.

However, a specialist in internal medicine, Dr. Aru Ariadno, said that BPA still increases the risk of serious health problems because it is toxic and dangerous if it enters the body.

“The problem is, BPA is a toxic material and can contaminate wrapped food or liquids stored in BPA plastic,” said Dr. Aru to CNBC Indonesia, Monday (2/10/2023).

“If we are exposed to BPA plastic, a number of health problems can arise, such as weight problems in babies, hormonal disorders, cancer, polycystic ovary syndrome, and even premature birth,” explained Dr. Aru.

Regarding different research results regarding the impact of BPA on the body, Dr. Aru advised the public to avoid using plastic materials, especially those containing BPA. Moreover, a number of countries, such as France; United States of America; Denmark; Malaysia; and Australia has banned the use of BPA because it is bad for health.

“It’s best to avoid using BPA. As long as there are conflicting opinions, we’ll just take what’s safe,” stressed Dr. Aru.

“And for that, government intervention is needed to enforce what is happening [penggunaan BPA] “permissible or not based on existing science,” he continued.

[Gambas:Video CNBC]

(fab/fab)