Canada considers banning common chemical BPA
Published 10:30 pm Friday, April 18, 2008
TORONTO — An ubiquitous chemical found in hard plastic water bottles, DVDs, CDs and hundreds of other common items came under increased pressure Friday when Canada labeled it dangerous and said it may ban its use in baby bottles.
Health Canada made the announcement shortly after a U.S. company said it would pull hard-plastic Nalgene water bottles made with bisphenol A from stores over the next few months because of growing concern over whether the chemical poses a health risk.
Health Canada is the first regulatory body in the world to call bisphenol A dangerous. It could be the first step in Canada banning the chemical altogether.
Earlier this week, the U.S. government’s National Toxicology Program said that there is “some concern” about BPA from experiments on rats that linked the chemical to changes in behavior and the brain, early puberty and possibly precancerous changes in the prostate and breast. While such animal studies only provide “limited evidence” of risk, the draft report said a possible effect on humans “cannot be dismissed.”
With more than 6 million pounds produced in the United States each year, bisphenol A is found in dental sealants, baby bottles, the liners of food cans, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses and hundreds of household goods.
Nalge Nunc International said Friday it will substitute its Nalgene Outdoor line of polycarbonate plastic containers with BPA-free alternatives.
“We continue to believe that Nalgene products containing BPA are safe for their intended use,” Steven Silverman, general manager of the Nalgene business, said. “However, our customers indicated they preferred BPA-free alternatives and we acted in response to those concerns.”
