Bisphenol-A Baby Bottle Ban in Canada only the first needed step

Special to The Canadian

Baby bottle ban a welcome, first step.

The federal government's decision to carry through on its earlier promise to ban polycarbonate baby bottles containing the toxic chemical bisphenol-A is a welcome action, Toxic Free Canada said on 20 October 2008.

"Last April Canada became the first national government to declare bisphenol-A a toxic chemical and now the government has taken the next step and become the first to ban baby bottles containing BPA," said Toxic Free Canada executive director Mae Burrows. "Those are decisions that Canadians welcome and we commend the federal government for taking them."

The government has also announced it will be working with manufacturers of canned baby bottle formula to reduce the BPA that leaches from the linings of cans containing the formula.

The ban on baby bottles was announced 17 October 2008, which is the same day that Health and Environment Canada released the final screening assessment of BPA, which warns that the foetus and infants "are more sensitive to BPA." Because of that danger, it urges regulators to "apply a precautionary approach," although the government proposed no further regulations to protect older children or adults from BPA exposure.

Toxic Free Canada research coordinator Sean Griffin said the government should now be applying that precautionary approach to protect all Canadians from BPA.

"The screening assessment didn't take into account new research published in September that demonstrated that those people with the highest levels of BPA in their bodies had more than twice the incidence of cardiovascular disease and Type 2 diabetes."

"There are many more steps that the government can and should take to protect the health of Canadians," said Burrows. "They should be working with industry to reduce the BPA content in can linings, develop regulations to get polycarbonate water bottles off the market and provide health advisories to pregnant women where they may be exposed to BPA. Canada has shown it is a world leader in its initial regulation. Now it can show its continuing leadership by taking the additional steps necessary to deal with this toxic and pervasive chemical," she said.

SOCIALIZE: Network with other socially progressive readers.

Subscribe to RSS feeds

Become a Member:

Would you like to see other similar articles and critical commentaries in The Canadian National Newspaper? Then, show your support. Make a member-pledge donation, in support of the Membership Drive of the Pro-Democracy Media Foundation.

The Canadian can only continue to publish investigative articles in such areas, with the donations from members of the public in Canada, the U.S., and abroad. Consider making a donation of $50.00, $75.00, $100.00, $200.00 or more. Donors are eligible to receive our first collector's print edition in mail. Alternatively, you can send us a note to be placed on our special email list of members. Member-donors can also suggest articles or commentaries to be published in The Canadian.

The Canadian is a socially progressive and not-for-profit national newspaper, with an international readership. We provide an alternative to the for-profit commercial focused media, which often censors vital information and perspective of potential interest to the diverse Canadian public, and other peoples internationally.

Become a member of The Canadian, with your donation-pledge. Help support independent, progressive, and not-for-profit journalism.