GIA announces the release of a comprehensive global report on Bisphenol A. The global market for Bisphenol A is forecast to reach 7.3 million metric tons by 2020, driven by the steadily increasing consumption in developing countries and demand patterns in the polycarbonate resins end-use market.
Although Bisphenol A (BPA) was discovered as early as 1891, the chemical compound came into commercial use in 1957 through the efforts of Bayer and GE. Since the 1960s, the industrial chemical has been widely used as a key building block for polycarbonates plastics and epoxy resins that find application in diverse array of industrial and commercial applications ranging from humble water bottles to wind mill blades. The lightweight, clear, shatter-proof qualities of polycarbonate plastics synthesized using BPA found application in the production of automobiles parts, compact discs and digital video disks, medical devices, food and beverage containers, electronic equipment, corrective and protective eyewear, and equipment for sports safety. Epoxy resins produced from BPA soon became ubiquitous as the inner lining for food and beverage containers, as well as applications such as adhesives, electronic/electrical laminates, and paving and flooring applications, primarily utilized in the aerospace, construction, and automotive industries.
Future growth in the market will be driven by the increasing usage of BPA in rotor blade composites that are employed in wind power generation. With large-scale investments across the globe, wind energy is expected to account for a significant share of the global energy mix in the long run and in turn is poised to propel growth in the BPA segment. Additionally, strong global appetite for BPA-based polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins continues to spur growth in the global market. In terms of the end-use markets, Bisphenol A is becoming increasingly mired in controversies in the food and beverage sector, with a growing body of research linking the industrial chemical to cancer and other adverse health conditions. More governments are under pressure from negative media reports, protests by environmental activists, and public concern, to gradually phase-out the use of Bisphenol A. The issue is becoming more complex with more national and state governments across the world gearing up to ban all food and beverage packaging applications of BPA, including the use of the epoxy resin as a hardener for plastics, and lining for canned foods and beverages, water bottles, and compact discs.
Despite concerns about the toxicity of BPA, the market is not expected to incur drastic losses as regulatory authorities across the world are delaying the total ban on BPA in food and beverage applications to enable packaging materials manufacturers to come up with alternatives solutions and gradually phase out BPA usage within a feasible time frame.
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