Canada Possibly Banning Bottles Containing Bisphenol A

Canada Possibly Banning Bottles Containing Bisphenol A

April 2008  - The Canadian government is 
asking for public comment on whether or not to ban the import, sale and 
advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles than contain the chemical 
bisphenol A. The chemical has been shown to leach from some plastics, 
harming human health by disrupting normal hormone and neurological 
function and altering gene activity. 
Some Canadian retailers have already pulled bottles made with the 
substance off store shelves. 
Health Minister Tony Clement and Environment Minister John Baird announced 
the action Friday and the 60 day public comment period began on Saturday. 
"Canada has been the first country in the world to conduct risk 
assessments on a number of chemicals of concern, as a result of a new 
initiative announced by the Prime Minister on December 8, 2006 known as 
the Chemicals Management Plan," said Clement. 

"We have immediately taken action on bisphenol A, because we believe it is 
our responsibility to ensure families, Canadians and our environment are 
not exposed to a potentially harmful chemical," he said. 
Health Canada's screening assessment of bisphenol A primarily focused on 
its impacts on newborns and infants up to 18 months of age; however, 
health risks for Canadians of all ages were considered in the screening. 
It was determined that the main source of exposure for newborns and 
infants is through the use of polycarbonate baby bottles when they are 
exposed to high temperatures and the migration of bisphenol A from cans 
into infant formula. 
The scientists concluded in this assessment that bisphenol A exposure to 
newborns and infants is below levels that may pose a risk, however, the 
gap between exposure and effect is not large enough. 
"When it comes to Canada's environment, you can't put a price on safety," 
said Baird. "Not only are we finding out about the health impacts of 
bisphenol A, but the environmental impacts as well. That's why our 
government will be moving forward and will work with the provinces and 
stakeholders to keep bisphenol A out of our environment, and take the 
necessary measures to ensure its safe use and disposal." 
The Canadian government is proposing to reduce bisphenol A exposure in 
infants and newborns by banning polycarbonate baby bottles and developing 
stringent migration targets for bisphenol A in infant formula cans, which 
are lined with a material containing the chemical. 
The government proposes to work with industry to develop alternative food 
packaging and develop a code of practice and to list bisphenol A under 
Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. 
Environment Canada scientists found that at low levels, bisphenol A can 
harm fish and aquatic organisms over time. Studies indicate that it can 
currently be found in wastewater and sludge treatment plants. 

The top Canadian Green Party official says bisphenol A is found not only 
in polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and in the lining of canned foods 
and beverages but also in childrens’ toys, baby bottles, dental sealants, 
sports helmets, compact discs and other materials made from hard plastics. 

Canadians should take appropriate precautions to protect against bisphenol 
A exposure from all sources, said Green Party leader Elizabeth May. 
"Bisphenol A is toxic to humans even at extremely low levels. It is 
particularly dangerous to children," said May. "That’s why the safest bet 
is to avoid, whenever possible, consuming food or beverage that has come 
into contact with plastic of any type." 
"Consumers can easily switch to non-plastic bottles," she said, "they can 
purchase food in glass jars and with a little research, can uncover 
companies who package food in cans without bisphenol A." 
May said that nonylphenol, another hazardous substance with similar 
hormone-disrupting properties should be given the same attention as 
bisphenol A. Nonlyphenol can also be found in plastics, as well as 
personal care products, commercial and household cleaners and some 
manufacturing processes. 
Nonylphenol and its derivatives have already been banned in the European 
Union due to concerns over both human health and its effect on aquatic 
life after entering waterways 
"This is a good first step and we urge the government to ban bisphenol A 
without delay," said May. "But bisphenol A is only the tip of the toxic 
iceberg. We need to protect human health by restricting other dangerous 
chemicals, like nonylphenol, as well." 
In the United States, the Food and Drug Administration has not banned 
bisphenol A. 
Today, the Grocery Manufacturers Association, GMA, released a science 
policy paper on bisphenol A that attempts to reassure consumers that the 
chemical is safe. 
The GMA paper emphasizes that, "Internationally accepted protocols of 
reproductive and developmental assays have reported no reproductive 
toxicity or adverse effects on the fetus at high doses, in the absence of 
general systemic toxicity."
 
Higher doses of bisphenol A are needed to produce effects in humans 
compared with rodents, the GMA says, in an effort to debunk studies done 
on mice and rats. 
"The reference dose calculated by the EPA to be protective of the public 
health is more than 100 times greater than estimated human exposure to 
bisphenol A," the grocery association says. 
"Data purporting to demonstrate 'low' dose effects on the male 
reproductive system by BPA have not been successfully replicated and, 
therefore, are not credible to estimate human health risks and safety in 
light of the weight of a large body of evidence to the contrary," the 
association says. 
And finally, the GMA paper points out that neither the Food and Drug 
Administration nor the World Health Organization has set any regulatory 
guidelines for bisphenol A, as they have not deemed any restrictions 
necessary. 
The National Toxicology Program "recently concluded that there is minimal 
risk associated with the chemical," the GMA paper says. 
But last August, a 12 member panel of government, university and industry 
scientists convened by the National Toxicology Program's Center for the 
Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction to evaluate bisphenol A 
confirmed that the chemical can leach from containers into the food and 
drinks they hold. 
While the panel did not call for a ban on bisphenol A, the members 
expressed "some concern" that exposure to the chemical while in the womb 
"causes neural and behavioral effects." 
The panel also expressed concern that exposure to bisphenol A causes 
neural and behavioral effects in children.

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