18 October 2008 — Canadian Government Declares Bisphenol A Toxic! – Canada has become the first country in the world to designate bisphenol A (BPA) toxic to human health and the environment. By adding BPA to the Toxic Substances List (Schedule 1) of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act, the Government can now take concrete action against BPA, and has announced that it ”will immediately proceed with drafting regulations to prohibit the importation, sale and advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles that contain bisphenol A (BPA).
The Government will also take action to limit the amount of bisphenol A that is being released into the environment.” With this announcement, the Government included a regulatory plan in which it is banning the use of BPA in baby bottles and setting limits on its use in canned baby food. For more information, check out the following resources:
— The official Notice of the Government’s Final Screening Assessment of BPA was published in the Canada Gazette today (there is a 60 day comment period on the Assessment and the associated Regulatory Plan): Click here.
— Final Screening Assessment Report and Regulatory Plan: Click here.
— Lots more excellent information on BPA and this decision can be found on the Toxic Nation website of the Canadian environment group Environmental Defence:http://www.toxicnation.ca/.
This is a wonderful first step in the right direction. The next logical step is to recognize the potential for health risks not just to babies, but to humans of all ages, as the research on BPA is increasingly indicating: Click here.