Campaign Should Highlight Value of BPA

According to the Washington Post, packaging industry representatives are looking for ways to fight off regulations of a substance used in packaging called Bisphenol A (BPA). And they certainly should be developing a plan quickly as environmental activists continue to spread misinformation about this substance and its risks. CEI has addressed these in several blog posts with links to other research, pointing out how low the risks are and high benefits are from BPA.

Industry would be wise to focus widely on all the benefits BPA provides for consumers–from packaging to medical devices to safety goggles. Our value-based communications project highlights how businesses can fight back needless and counter-productive legislation by communicating the value their products bring to individuals. Indeed, industry needs to focus on legitimizing its role in society if they are ever going to stay afloat. The American Plastics Council conducted such a campaign in the 1990s and it helped reverse an anti-plastics trend by demonstrating the value plastics bring in a variety of applications (for example see this advertisement). Unfortunately, if such efforts don’t become a routine part of business, industry becomes subject to nanny state regulations, taxes, and other red tape that hurts consumers the most by producing higher costs and fewer valuable products.

For more information check out CEI’s book on the topic, which a result of a conference we held a while back. In particular, CEI president Fred L. Smith’s chapter is particularly helpful.

Photo: NIH Image Library.