Canada: Bisphenol-A May Be Hazardous

Canada is to become the first nation in the world to label the plastic ingredient Bisphenol A as potentially hazardous, a move that sets the stage for tough regulation of the ubiquitous chemical as Canada seeks to limit the chance of human exposure.

Health Canada, the nation's health agency, determined that the chemical's ability to mimic human hormones makes it potentially unsafe and in need of regulation, according to the Toronto Globe & Mail.

Bisphenol A, or BPA, is one of several ingredients in plastics that has come under increasing scrutiny from independent scientists, even as industry and often government agencies seeks to assure the public of their safety. Phthalates is another example of a hormone-mimicking chemical found in many common products. The concern is that even at very low levels, these chemicals can affect the body, including the reproductive system, because they act like hormones, which are the chemical messengers that themselves act at minute levels in the body.

BPA is found in many plastics, including those commonly used to make baby bottles, water bottles and other common products.

This Bill Moyers Journal video offers great background on the issue:

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