ITB Expert Responds to Health Concerns Over Polycarbonate Water Gallons

Guru Besar Teknik Kimia Institut Teknologi Bandung (ITB) Prof Johnner Sitompul has stated that there is currently no clinical evidence directly linking Bisphenol A (BPA) exposure from polycarbonate gallons to hormonal disruption, reproductive issues, or cancer in humans. He noted that the Food and Drug Monitoring Agency (BPOM) itself has not conducted studies on this specific matter. The public needs to be critical in distinguishing between BPA as a standalone compound and BPA as a constituent of packaging. BPA used as a mixing agent in polycarbonate plastic is very difficult to detach from its polymer bonds, making migration highly unlikely, especially at normal temperatures. Polycarbonate is a heat-resistant packaging material, which is why it is used as a reusable and more environmentally friendly container. “The research (on the dangers of PC gallons) is not yet evident. The risks that are apparent concern BPA exposure to infants, or to glands and hormones regarding obesity, but that is BPA itself, not the polycarbonate,” Johnner Sitompul said in a written statement on Thursday (9/7). The professor, a graduate of the University of Wales, explained that BPA is a formative substance that changes form when it becomes polycarbonate. He added that no research has proven that polycarbonate in the form of gallons can decompose back into BPA upon contact with water. He said that research to date has largely focused on BPA as an isolated compound, rather than on polycarbonate gallons used as drinking water containers. He argued that the monomers combined in polycarbonate have transformed and possess far more stable characteristics. He believes specific research is needed to test whether BPA in polycarbonate can migrate into water under real usage conditions, and that such findings could serve as an objective scientific reference.