Do BPA-free plastics like BPS and BPF still affect kids' IQ?

What's actually in it

When BPA got bad press, manufacturers swapped it for BPS (bisphenol S) and BPF (bisphenol F). The bottles and receipts got "BPA-free" stickers. The problem: BPS and BPF are chemical cousins. They bind to the same hormone receptors. They also show up in blood and urine at similar or higher levels than BPA ever did, because the substitution is now everywhere.

The brain is especially sensitive to hormone signals during the first six years of life. Small disruptions during this window can change how neurons connect.

What the research says

A 2025 cohort study in Environ Res measured BPA, BPS, and BPF in the urine of 4-year-old children and then tested their IQ at age 6. Kids with higher BPS and BPF levels scored measurably lower on IQ tests two years later. The association held after adjusting for parent income, education, and other exposures.

BPS showed up in more children than BPA, which tracks with the market shift. So "BPA-free" plastic water bottles, sippy cups, and the coating on thermal receipts aren't solving the problem. They're just changing which letter is on the label.

For kids, the move that actually cuts bisphenol exposure is switching to glass, stainless steel, or silicone, avoiding canned drinks, and skipping thermal paper receipts.