Ask the doctor: Should I worry about health effects from BPA?
But BPA turned out to have a second career, so to speak, as a compound that would be polymerized — made into long chains — to make a plastic known as polycarbonate. While not as clear as some plastics, polycarbonate is sturdy and resists shattering, so it's a great material for water bottles and baby bottles. It's used in some dental sealants and composite white fillings. BPA has proved useful as an ingredient in an epoxy resin applied to the insides of cans so the metal of the can is not in direct contact with the food or beverage. BPA is also used as an ingredient in the powdery coating found on the thermal paper that many receipts are printed on these days.
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