RENEE MONTAGNE, HOST: In a Texas courtroom this week, scientists and lawyers will debate the safety of plastics. Specifically, they'll be arguing about whether one major brand of plastics contains chemicals that can act like the hormone estrogen and perhaps cause health problems. NPR's Jon Hamilton reports on how this scientific question ended up in court.
JON HAMILTON, BYLINE: A few years ago, some consumers began avoiding plastic products made with a chemical called BPA. BPA can act a bit like estrogen, though it's not clear whether people are affected by the small amount that comes from plastic. Concern about BPA turned out to be a good thing f
