Last updated on August 19th, 2022 at 11:24 pm
The Canadian government went forward with action to ban the sale and import of polycarbonate baby bottles making them the first country to ban bottles made with Bisphenol-a. A review of the chemical by the governments Chemicals Management Plan led officials to classify BPA as a toxin.
Recent research has shown that bisphenol A is an estrogenic hormone disrupter that causes reproductive damage and may lead to prostate and breast cancer in adulthood. Babies are particularly vulnerable, since most traditional plastic baby bottles leach bisphenol A into the milk they drink.
The Canadian government is taking a “better safe than sorry” approach to Bisphenol-a after finding that it can lead to health problems in adulthood. However, they stand firm that the levels infants and babies are exposed to are lower risk levels, they don’t want to take the chance that it could pose a longer term threat to people’s health. It doesn’t end at baby bottles, although this first ban is a stepping stone to eliminating the chemical further:
The chemical is also used in the linings of canned food and beverages but again, Clement said that is not a concern for most Canadians based on the government’s assessment. Canned infant formula, however, is a concern and the health minister said the government will work with industry to reduce the amount of bisphenol A in the linings of cans and to find alternatives “as soon as possible.”
Source: The Gazette: Feds Move to ban Baby Bottles with BPA
Also reported by the New York Times today: Canada Bans Plastic Bottles Tied to Health Concerns