"U.S. Government Plans Major Study of the Safety of BPA"

"The National Institutes of Health will devote $30 million to study the safety of bisphenol A, or BPA, an estrogen-like chemical used in many plastics, including sippy cups and the linings of metal cans.

Almost half of that money comes from the economic stimulus bill, says Robin Mackar, spokeswoman for the National Institute of Environmental Health Sciences (NIEHS).

Although a growing number of scientists and consumers are concerned about BPA -- which has been detected in the urine of more than 90% of Americans -- government agencies have been divided about whether it poses a threat."

Liz Szabo reports for USA TODAY October 28, 2009.