Canada has declared a chemical widely used in food packaging a toxic substance and will move to ban the sale in Canada of plastic baby bottles containing bisphenol A.
The toxic classification, issued in Saturday’s Canada Gazette, makes Canada the first country to classify the chemical commonly used in the lining of food cans, eyeglass lenses and hundreds of household items, as risky.
The federal ministries of Health and the Environment said on Saturday that bisphenol A may be entering the environment in a quantity or under conditions that may pose a danger to Canadians.
Canadian Health Minister Tony Clement said a report on bisphenol A has found the chemical endangers people, particularly newborns and infants, citing concerns that the chemical in polycarbonate products and epoxy linings can migrate into food and beverages.
Newborns and infants are particularly vulnerable because of their frequent use of baby bottles that often contain the chemical, which is used to harden plastic and make it shatterproof.
The health and environment departments said on Saturday that the government plans to restrict the importation, sale and advertising of bottles made with bisphenol A, known as BPA.
“Many Canadians ... have expressed their concern to me about the risks of bisphenol A in baby bottles,” said Canadian Environment Minister John Baird in a statement. “Today’s confirmation of our ban on BPA in baby bottles proves that our government did the right thing in taking action to protect the health and environment for all Canadians.”
The government is also proposing “to allow the lowest amount of BPA as reasonably achievable in infant formula cans” and all foods in general.
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