Short Stuff: All about BPAs

Summary

Stuff You Should Know: Short Stuff – All About BPAs

Date: May 20, 2026
Hosts: Josh and Chuck (with Jerry)
Episode Theme:
This episode dives into the science, safety, and controversy surrounding BPA (bisphenol A), a chemical commonly found in plastics and receipts, exploring its health effects, regulatory responses, and alternatives.

---

Main Theme & Purpose

The hosts take a concise but illuminating look at BPA—where it’s found, how it affects health (especially as an endocrine disruptor), the confusing regulatory stance of the U.S. vs. Europe, and the shortcomings of “BPA-free” plastics.

---

Key Discussion Points & Insights

What Is BPA and Where Do We Find It?

• BPA = Bisphenol A: Pronounced either "bisphenol" or "bisphenol A" ([01:26] Josh).
• Widespread Use:
  • Common in polycarbonate plastics and the resin that lines food cans, some dental materials, contact lens containers, and especially in thermal paper receipts ([01:41] Josh).
  • Example: “The greatest exposure that people get on average is from holding receipts, thermal paper receipts.” ([01:56] Josh)
• Exposure Example:
  • “Just holding one [receipt] for 10 seconds exposes you to unsafe levels of BPA.” ([02:16] Josh)

Discovery of BPA’s Harmful Effects

• Origins of Concern:
  • In 1998, Dr. Patricia Hunt, a geneticist, unintentionally discovered BPA’s adverse effects while studying mice ovaries ([03:18] Josh).
  • Cage and water bottles containing BPA led to chromosomal errors, miscarriages, and birth defects in mice; when replaced with non-BPA materials, errors disappeared ([03:41] Chuck).
• Endocrine Disruptor:
  • BPA mimics hormones—mainly estrogen—resulting in disruption of fetal development and other processes ([04:16] Josh).
  • Affects more than 200 genes and nearly all tissues and organs in the body ([05:02] Chuck).

Health Impacts: What’s at Stake?

• Scientific Evidence:
  • Early regulatory stance: “We’re not mice”—lack of immediate action due to inconclusive evidence for humans ([05:48] Josh).
  • Harmful effects are now recognized at much lower exposure levels than previously thought ([05:48] Josh).
• Low Dose Paradox:
  • “It actually turns out that low doses of BPA have worse effects than larger doses of BPA.” ([06:07] Josh)
  • Josh’s humorous analogy: “Three Stooges syndrome... I think that’s what happens when you have a bunch of BPA. They all get stuck trying to get through the same door at the same time, and it doesn’t affect you like a little bit does.” ([06:08] Josh)
• Specific Risks:
  • Increased risks for:
    • Type 2 diabetes
    • Insulin resistance
    • Polycystic ovary syndrome
    • Obesity
    • Hypertension
    • Reproductive problems, breast cancer, developmental abnormalities, tumors ([10:06]-[10:24] Chuck & Josh)

Regulatory Debate: USA vs. Europe

• USA (FDA):
  • In 2014, after a 4-year review: No observed adverse effect so long as exposure is below 5 milligrams per kilogram body weight per day ([09:31] Chuck).
  • FDA position as of April 30, 2026: “BPA is safe at the current levels occurring in foods.” ([13:17] Chuck)
• Europe (EFSA):
  • 2023: Lowered their safe exposure level drastically, to 0.2 nanograms per day ([11:14] Chuck).
  • “Their new revised safe level is 20,000 times lower than their own previous safe level, 10 billion trillion-ish times lower than our safe level in the United States.” ([11:48] Josh)
  • EFSA continues to defend its position with transparent data, despite pushback and industry-funded critiques ([11:48] Josh).

BPA-Free? Maybe Not So Safe

• Labeling Gaps:
  • BPA-free plastics may still contain similar chemicals like bisphenol F (BPF) or bisphenol S (BPS), which may pose the same risks ([13:58] Chuck).
  • “They’re not nearly as studied as BPA has been, but essentially the studies that are coming back are like, yep, just as bad as BPA.” ([14:17] Josh)
  • “If you think that what you have is BPA free, it probably still has bisphenols in it.” ([14:55] Josh)
• Safe Alternatives:
  • Glass and stainless steel are preferable, but even these may have plastic lids or liners ([14:57] Josh).
  • “You have to be careful with that, too, because even if the lid’s metal, it may still have a plastic liner...” ([14:57] Josh).
  • Industry inertia: “I guarantee if you really looked into it, it’s like half a cent less than.” ([15:24] Josh)

---

Notable Quotes & Memorable Moments

• On BPA Exposure from Receipts:

  • “Just holding one for 10 seconds exposes you to unsafe levels of BPA.” ([02:16] Josh)

• The Accidental Discovery:

  • “[Dr. Patricia Hunt] was not looking for BPA... but BPA came and found her, essentially.” ([03:18] Josh)

• Endocrine Disruption Simplified:

  • “Our hormones are very well, precisely timed. And if something shows up en masse and is like, we’re going to do all of this at once, there’s all sorts of catastrophic things that can happen to the human body.” ([04:16] Josh)

• On Low Dose Dangers:

  • “It actually turns out that low doses of BPA have worse effects than larger doses of BPA.” ([06:07] Josh)
  • “Three Stooges syndrome... I think that’s what happens when you have a bunch of BPA. They all get stuck trying to get through the same door at the same time, and it doesn’t affect you like a little bit does.” ([06:08] Josh)

• On BPA-Free Labels:

  • “If you think that what you have is BPA free, it probably still has bisphenols in it.” ([14:55] Josh)

• Hopeful Note:

  • “One day we’re gonna get there, Chuck. I hope we’re still alive to see it, but one day we’re gonna get there where people actually take care of other people and we all care about one another and we all act like it. We’re gonna get there.” ([15:34] Josh)

---

Timestamps for Important Segments

• [01:19] – Introduction to BPA and where it’s found
• [03:18] – Dr. Patricia Hunt’s accidental discovery
• [04:16] – BPA as an endocrine disruptor and estrogen’s role
• [06:07] – The strangeness of low dose effects
• [09:31] – U.S. FDA’s regulatory stance
• [11:14] – European EFSA’s renewed, stricter regime
• [13:17] – Current FDA perspective (April 2026)
• [14:17] – The issues with BPA-free plastics and other bisphenols
• [14:57] – Discussion of glass, stainless steel, and alternatives

---

Tone & Language

Josh and Chuck keep things conversational, curious, and a little wry, balancing scientific detail with accessible analogies (like the “Three Stooges syndrome”) and moments of hope and humor.

---

Useful Takeaways:

• BPA is everywhere––not just in plastics but especially receipts––and often at levels that, despite outdated U.S. guidelines, are now considered unsafe by much of the world.
• “BPA-free” doesn’t mean “safe,” as similar chemicals (BPF & BPS) often slip in as replacements.
• Europe has drastically lowered safe limits; the U.S. has not.
• When in doubt, avoid plastics for food and drink, and be mindful of hidden sources.

---

For listeners seeking more, the full episode unpacks these details with the hosts’ trademark camaraderie and depth.

Transcript

[Podcast Announcer]

This is an iHeart podcast.

[Chuck]

Guaranteed Human. If audiobooks are your thing and you've

[Jerry]

been meaning to listen to more of them, you should check out A podcast called Earsay, the Audible and iHeart Audio Club, hosted by Cal Penn. Each episode spotlights standout audiobooks on Audible across all kinds of genres. Sci fi, comedy, romance, thrillers, and more. With Cal talking to guests who help break down what makes each story worth listening to. It's a fun, easy way to discover your next great audiobook. Check out Earsay on the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you get your podc. Hey, everybody. You ever show up late to the game and your friends have already saved your seat and your drink and even a plate, well, that's looking out and that's having your back. And that's exactly what ATT does with the ATT guarantee. They know that staying connected matters, so they actually guarantee a network that comes through when it counts. AT&T has connectivity you can depend on, or they'll proactively make it right. Just like that friend who takes care of things before you even ask. AT&T connecting changes everything. Terms and conditions apply. Just visit att.comguarantee for details.

[Josh]

Hey, and welcome to the Short Stuff. I'm Josh, and there's Chuck and Jerry sitting in for Dave. So this is Short Stuff about the beware of the BPAs.

[Chuck]

That's right. We're talking about BPAs specifically. Well, BPA, which is. How do you pronounce that, Josh?

[Josh]

I'm going with bisphenol or bisphenol A. Bisphenol A.

[Chuck]

There are other bisphenols, apparently, which I didn't know, and apparently, you know, none of these are good for you. Even though the FDA is like, it's fine in the amounts that you're getting it.

[Josh]

Stop being so uptight, everybody. Yeah, they're used in all sorts of plastics, polycarbonate in particular. But that stuff shows up everywhere. It can be in the stuff that lines tin cans. It can be in your dental work. It can be in contact lens storage containers, baby bottles. Used to be. I don't think it is anymore, but it was everywhere. It's also now still today. The greatest exposure that people get on average is from holding receipts, thermal paper receipts.

[Chuck]

Oh, interesting.

[Josh]

Those are coated with bpa, so just be aware of that. I saw a study that said just holding one for 10 seconds exposes you to unsafe levels of BPA.

[Jerry]

You know, many years ago when we

[Chuck]

lived in Los Angeles and. It's a joke, Emily. Still Laughs at to this day because it's just very me. Very sardonically. Chuck was. We left a Blockbuster Video, and it was like, print, print, print. And they did that thing where there was a ticker tape of, like, three feet of receipts, each connected by a little tiny piece of paper. And he handed them to me, and I just went, thank you for the receipts. And Emily thought that was the funniest thing ever. And she still says it to this day.

[Josh]

Yeah. I could see being in the right place in the right frame of mind and just finding that. Awesome.

[Chuck]

Yeah. Like, really stoned at Blockbuster.

[Josh]

Sure. Do you remember what you rented?

[Chuck]

Oh, no, no, no. Who knows? But now that I. I don't feel so bad now that I know that those things are loaded with BPAs. I don't want those in my pocket.

[Josh]

No, you don't. And the reason why we're even, like, talking about BPA is all thanks to a geneticist named Dr. Patricia Hunt, who was studying the ovaries of mice back in the late 90s, 1998. It was her jam. She was not looking for BPA. She was not studying BPA at all. But BPA came and found her, essentially.

[Chuck]

Yeah. She saw these chromosomal errors start popping up. They went from 2% to 40% in these mice that she was studying in the control group. And that, you know, there was miscarriage. There were birth defects in these little baby mice. It's all very sad. And she ran some more tests, and she was like, you know what? All of these cages and water bottles that these mice are drinking out of have BPA in them. And I think that's where it's coming from. So she swapped that stuff out with non BPA stuff and everything returned to normal. And she was like, I think I found something really bad here, everybody.

[Josh]

Yeah, she did. She also really started to examine what BPA did. Disrupted fetal development. The eggs of the fetus that had its development disrupted. That fetus's eventual babies, those were also disrupted as well. So, yeah, she was like, I think something is really bad here. And what she turned up is that BPA acts as an endocrine disruptor, meaning it mimics a hormone in our body which does all sorts of stuff, because our hormones are very, very well, precisely timed. And you go over here and do this, you go over here and do that. And if something shows up en masse and is like, we're going to do all of this at once, there's all sorts of catastrophic things that can happen to the human body.

[Jerry]

Yeah. For sure.

[Chuck]

And in this case, in the case of bpa, what it really does is affect estrogen. And estrogen has a hu effect on a lot of stuff. I think it can affect the behavior of more than 200 genes. And almost every organ and tissue in the body can be affected by estrogen. So this was a big deal at the time. There were a lot of initial reactions of like, you know, we're not sure how bad this stuff is for you. We're not going to do anything right now. Like, the evidence is, like, not really conclusive because we're not mice. And so we're not necessarily going to experience the same health effects. And again, these limits are like, the amount that we're getting shouldn't harm, like, you know, children and adults.

[Josh]

Right. That was wrong. It turns out that the limits that we were being exposed to were considered harmful or are considered very harmful now. But what's something weird? Just a little thing to kind of put aside. It actually turns out that low doses of BPA have worse effects than larger doses of bpa.

[Chuck]

Yeah, that's weird.

[Josh]

I didn't see anywhere that that was explained, so I came up with my own explanation. It's Three Stooges syndrome, which is how, remember, Mr. Burns had every disease, but none of them were affecting him because they were all trying to get through the same door at once. I think that's what happens when you have a bunch of bpa. They all get stuck trying to get through the same door at the same time, and it doesn't affect you like a little bit does, which can make it right through the door.

[Chuck]

All right, Dr. Clark, we're going to take a break and ponder that. And we'll be right back with more on BPAs.

[Josh]

Everybody. Spring is finally here, which usually means discovering what winter destroyed in your backyard.

[Chuck]

That's right.

[Jerry]

If your shed is sagging, your deck box didn't survive the season, or your outdoor furniture is looking rough, Keter has your back. You know, most outdoor stuff eventually gives up on you. You know, wood rots, metal, rust.

[Chuck]

Nature always wins that battle.

[Jerry]

But unless you go with something designed to outsmart it.

[Chuck]

Like Keter.

[Josh]

Yeah. They make resin based outdoor furniture and storage solutions built for real life use sheds, deck boxes, garden furniture, all with modern aesthetics and materials that last season after season.

[Jerry]

Yeah, their signature collection is especially cool. It has this genuine wood look and feel. But because it's resin, it won't warp, rot, or fade.

[Josh]

You get the charm of wood without the yearly guess I'm sanding again moment. No maintenance no stress, just durable, stylish pieces you can put outside and forget about. In a good way.

[Chuck]

Yeah.

[Jerry]

So if you want your outdoor space to look great without all the upkeep, check out the signature collection@k e t e r keter.com or from other major online retailers. That's keter.com

[Public Ad Speaker]

support for the show comes from Public.

[Josh]

Huh.

[Public Ad Speaker]

I wonder if this can beat the market. Everyone's talking about the NASDAQ 100, but let's get more specific. Software actually, too broad. How about software that's already profitable? Companies that beat the last five quarters. Oh, and I want fish founders who are marathon runners. That's discipline. Yeah, let's see what that looks like.

With generated assets on public, you can turn any idea into an investable index. Just enter a prompt and watch the AI screen thousands of stocks in seconds. You can then back test your index against the S&P 500, make adjustments, refine your criteria, and when you're ready, invest in what you've built. Go to public.com and build your own index with generated assets, plus earn a 1% uncapped match when you transfer your portfolio. Public investing for those who take it seriously. Ad paid for by Public Holdings Brokerage services by Public Investing member finra, SIPC Advisory services by Public Advisors SEC Registered Advisor. Sample prompts are for illustrative purposes only, not investment advice. All investing involves risk of loss. See complete [e-mail] disclosures.

[Chuck]

I gotta say, I'm very impressed.

[Josh]

Thank you. But I feel like I should say I am not a doctor and you really shouldn't listen to me with any medical stuff whatsoever.

[Chuck]

But I called you a doctor.

[Josh]

Oh, well then I'm a doctor.

[Chuck]

All right. So in the United States, the FDA is who is in charge of regulating the BPA use. And in 2010 they did a four year review of BPA studies which resulted in 2014. Basically saying, you know what? We're upholding our previous no observe adverse effects level label. As long as you don't get more than 5 milligrams of body weight per kilogram of body weight per day, you'll be fine.

[Josh]

Yeah, and I think that that is a level that most people are never exposed to, right?

[Chuck]

Well, that's what they say. I mean, we should talk about some of the things though. I know you mentioned a few things, but let me see here. Type 2 diabetes, potentially in adults, insulin resistance in children and adults, polycystic ovary syndrome, obesity and hypertension in children and adults.

[Josh]

Yeah, a lot of terrible stuff. And again this is not to mention, like, the preterm births, developmental abnormalities, like, all sorts of different stuff that has to do with reproduction, breast cancer, tumors, like, all of these things. Like, it used to be, like, like you said, we're not mice. And, you know, that whole settled science BS that like, the merchants of doubt used to put out, like, just shamelessly, like, if you look at meta analyses of studies about BPA and its effect on the human body, like you said, that's what comes up. It's. It's. Obviously you can never prove anything, like, without a shadow of a doubt, that's just how science works. But it's essentially to the point where you, the individual person, can feel pretty good about not wanting BPA anywhere near you.

[Jerry]

Yeah, for sure.

[Chuck]

Europe, of course, is leading the way in front of us. In April, just a few Years ago, in 2023, their FDA, which is the European Food Safety Authority, said, all right, we've seen the research, and I think they lowered their safe level a lot, I think, to. To 0.2. What is that? 0.2 nanograms, which is 2 billionths of a gram or 0.2 billionths of a gram per day for, like a human body. So that's way lower than ours is.

[Josh]

Well, yeah, and it's even lower than what their previous one was. Their previous one was still way lower than ours. So ours was 5 milligrams per kilogram. I think it's the same still. Their old 1 was 4 micrograms per kilogram of body weight. So now their new revised safe level is 20,000 times lower than their own previous safe level, 10 billion trillion ish times lower than our safe level in the United States. And when the European Food Safety Authority basically decided this, there were all sorts of like, you know, is this true? Is this right? You know, and of course, industry was pushing back on it. The only paper I found that was critical of it, an academic journal paper that was critical of their methods of data collection. I was like, funded this. It was funded by the American Chemistry Council. So it seems pretty like the EFSA has, over the years or since April 2023, continued to issue defenses of its decision. And not like, we decided, so shut up. They're like, we decided. And here's why we decided. Here's all the data we did this on. So it seems pretty legitimate that they're like, this is way worse than we have been taking it, and especially in the United States.

[Chuck]

Yeah, well, if you go to the FDA website today, what's the date? April 30th. 2026. It says FDA's current perspective, based on its most recent safety assessment, is that BPA is safe at the current levels occurring in foods. Based on FDA's ongoing safety review of scientific evidence, the available information continues to support the safety of BPA for the currently approved uses in food containers and packaging. But if you don't buy that, and I don't, I don't think Dr. Josh does, you need to look for a label that says BPA free that will indicate that the plastic does not have. Bisphenol. Is that what you said?

[Josh]

You didn't.

[Chuck]

Bisphenol A. But like I said, it could have bisphenol F or bisphenol S or something else, and that may be just as risky. I don't know.

[Josh]

Here's how you remember that. It's like a bisque made of polyphenol. There you go.

[Chuck]

Oh, I love bisque. That's a shame.

[Josh]

Yeah. So if you're like, okay, BPA free, great, give it to me. It turns out, like you said, there's other bisphenols. Bisphenol F and S are now used as substitutes. They're not nearly as studied as BPA has been, but essentially the studies that are coming back are like, yep, just as bad as BPA does all the same things. So essentially, the focus on BPA itself should have been expanded from the outset to bisphenols, not just bpa. And so, yeah, now there's BPF and bps all over the place. And if you think that what you have is BPA free, it probably still has bisphenols in it.

[Chuck]

Why don't they just find something else?

[Josh]

Well, they did. It's called glass. But the problem is glass. Stainless steel containers. They often come with plastic tops and lids. And you have to be careful with that, too, because even if the lid's metal, it may still have a plastic liner on the top of it. And that probably has at least some sort of plastic associated with it that could be getting in whatever you're drinking out of that.

[Jerry]

Yeah, but do you have to have abysphenol to have plastic at all?

[Josh]

I don't know. I guarantee if you really looked into it, it's like half a cent less than.

[Chuck]

Right.

[Josh]

Well, they can't. Something safe. That's your answer, you know.

[Chuck]

Yeah.

[Josh]

One day we're gonna get there, Chuck. I hope we're still alive to see it, but one day we're gonna get there where people actually take care of other people and we all care about one another and we all act like it. We're gonna get there.

[Chuck]

That's right. In the meantime, you and I and every other member of the stuff you should army is gonna try and be squeezing through that same door together.

[Josh]

That's right. Also in the meantime, short sleep stuff is out.

[Podcast Announcer]

Stuff you should know is a production of iHeartRadio. For more podcasts My Heart Radio, visit the iHeartRadio app, Apple Podcasts, or wherever you listen to your favorite show.