Watchdog group: Sports bras made by Nike, Victoria Secret and others contain high levels of BPA

OAKLAND, Calif. — The California-based Center for Environmental Health sent legal notices to several makers of sports bras and athletic shirts, after they said testing showed that their clothing could expose consumers to up to 22 times the safe limit of the chemical bisphenol A (BPA) based on standards set in California.

According to The Associated Press, BPA is widely considered an endocrine-disruptive chemical, which could cause adverse health effects by interfering with how hormone systems work, either by mimicking natural hormones or by altering their production or breakdown.

The watchdog group said that elevated levels of BPA were found in some sports bra brands, including Athleta, PINK, Asics, The North Face, Brooks, All in Motion, Nike and FILA.

It also said that the chemical was found in some activewear shirts made by The North Face, Brooks, Mizuno, Athleta, New Balance and Reebok.

According to CNN, the companies have been given 60 days to address the violations before the group files a complaint in a California state court.

In 2015, officials in California decided to add BPA to the list of hundreds of other chemicals requiring Proposition 65 notices, AP reported.

Proposition 65 was a measure first approved by voters in 1986 that required businesses in the state to notify the public about high levels of chemicals in products or places.

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