The Ministry of Health has warned against the widespread use of non-standard plastic utensils and food containers, saying that prolonged exposure to Bisphenol A (BPA) and microplastics can accumulate in the body and reach the brain, liver and kidneys, Ada Derana reported.
Speaking at the Health Promotion Bureau, Environmental and Occupational Health and Food Safety Director Dr. Chandanee Withana said the accumulation of these substances is associated with elevated risk of cardiovascular disease, hormonal imbalances, fertility disorders, neurodevelopmental effects and certain cancers. The risks are amplified when plastics are exposed to heat — for instance, when containers are used in microwaves or to store hot foods — or when they degrade through repeated washing.
Dr. Withana urged the public to substitute plastic with clay, metal, glass or ceramic containers for food storage and cooking, particularly for hot foods, oily preparations and infants’ meals. She also recommended avoiding the reuse of single-use plastic water bottles and the consumption of food wrapped in printed plastic films, where ink chemicals can migrate into food. The ministry has previously flagged similar concerns under its school-meals guidance.
The warning lands at a moment of broader public-health re-engagement on environmental contaminants. Sri Lanka has not yet adopted a comprehensive BPA-in-consumer-products regulatory regime — although food-contact materials are covered under general food-safety regulations — and consumer groups have begun pressing for product-labelling rules akin to those in the EU and US.
The Health Promotion Bureau said it would expand awareness campaigns through clinics, schools and digital channels in the coming weeks.
Sources: Ada Derana — Health Ministry warns plastic containers raise cancer and hormonal risks.
