Bisphenol A (BPA), a chemical present during the application of some composite fillings and sealants, has been added to the annually updated Proposition 65 list of approximately 900 chemicals known to the state of California to cause cancer or reproductive toxicity.
Dental offices in California with 10 or more employees and that use composites and sealants now are required to post a “Notice to Patients” about BPA. The California Dental Association offers a downloadable copy of the notice on its website.
The Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment added BPA to the list after it was “clearly shown through scientifically valid testing according to general accepted principles to cause reproductive toxicity.”
Also known as the Safe Drinking Water and Toxic Enforcement Act of 1986, Proposition 65 prohibits businesses with 10 or more employees from knowingly discharging any of the listed chemicals to a source of drinking water. It also requires these businesses to provide a “clear and reasonable warning” before exposing anyone to these chemicals.
Any business found in violation of the law is liable for a civil penalty not to exceed $2,500 per day for each violation. It applies to all dental businesses, including dental offices in California that use the listed chemicals in the scope of dentistry and employ 10 or more employees.
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