While an American manufacturer of popular plastic water bottles announced it would remove bisphenol A from its products, the Canadian ministry of health said yesterday that the chemical could pose a serious health risk for infants.
The Canadian agency said it will likely ban BPA from baby bottles.
Bisphenol A is found in millions of plastic products, including can linings, DVDs and plastic bottles. It has come under increasing fire in recent months; some researchers say the chemical can cause a wide range of health problems, including breast and prostate cancer, infertility, diabetes and brain damage.
Earlier this week, the U.S. government's National Toxicology Program (NTP) announced that the chemical may cause cancer and other health and behavior problems. Two days later, retail giant Wal-Mart said it would phase out sales of baby bottles containing bisphenol A in its U.S. and Canadian stores.
Nalge Nunc International, a division of Thermo Fisher Scientific Inc. of Waltham, Mass., said it will phase out the use of BPA in its Nalgene water bottles within months. The bottles have been marketed as a green alternative to disposable plastic water bottles.
"We continue to believe that Nalgene products containing BPA are safe for their intended use," Steven Silverman, general manager of the Nalgene business, said in a statement. "However, our customers indicated they preferred BPA-free alternatives, and we acted in response to those concerns."
Melissa Francis, manager of the L.L. Bean store in Columbia, said that many customers who buy water bottles express concern about the chemical. She said she has seen an increase in customers who buy brands that don't contain BPA, such as Sigg and Camelback.
"Customers are more aware and are looking for alternatives," she said. "I've seen an uptick in people who ask about the chemical, especially [when buying bottles] for their kids."
Researchers and critics of the chemical said that in light of the recent moves, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration should do more to limit exposure to BPA. Many states, including Maryland and California, have considered bills to limit BPA in some products, but none has enacted legislation so far.
The Canadian agency, Health Canada, is the world's first regulatory body to call bisphenol A dangerous. The agency said it will continue examining the chemical and may decide to ban it completely.
