Bisphenol A

The phenol-acetone building block of polycarbonate and epoxy resins, now banned from food contact in the EU as an endocrine disruptor.

Commodity chemicals · Derivatives & intermediates · No. 43

• Single chemical
• Feedstock: Oil, gas or coal
• about 7.5 Mt a year of demand (2024, indicative, industry estimates)
• 2.3 t CO₂e per t
• HS 290723

The EU has banned it from food contact, yet BPA still builds car headlamps, circuit boards and wind turbine blades.

Chart: Illustration: Bisphenol A

Where it comes from

Chart: Map of where it comes from

Two molecules of phenol join one of acetone over an acid resin catalyst. Purification decides whether the result is clear enough for optical polycarbonate.

Three things to know

1. About 62% of BPA becomes polycarbonate and 30% epoxy resin, both used in cars, electronics and construction.
2. EFSA's 2023 safe daily intake of 0.2 ng per kg of body weight was about 20,000 times lower than before.
3. India imports all its BPA; Reliance's planned 0.5 Mt plant at Jamnagar, due 2030, would be its first.

The journey

1. 1 Phenol, acetoneBoth from cumene, 1 to 0.62
2. 2 Condensation0.84 t phenol, 0.26 t acetone
3. 3 PurificationCrystallised to 99.9% for polycarbonate
4. 4 PolycarbonateClear, tough plastic for lenses, glazing
5. 5 EpoxyWith epichlorohydrin, for coatings and blades

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