Canada has become the first country to ban baby bottles containing the plastic bisphenol A (BPA), which has been linked to diabetes, liver abnormalities, and heart disease.
The Canadian government announced that it is set to immediately begin drafting regulations banning the importation, sale, and advertising of polycarbonate baby bottles that contain BPA.
The US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) appears to have no plans to implement such a ban. At a public meeting held on September 16th to discuss BPA and its alleged deleterious effects upon health, Laura Tarantino, head of the FDA’s office of food additive safety, said: “Right now, our tentative conclusion is that it’s safe, so we’re not recommending any change in habits.” However, an FDA advisory committee is due to discuss the issue again on October 31st.
The Canadian government also plans to begin taking steps to limit the amount of BPA that is being released into the environment.
News release: Government of Canada protects families with bisphenol A regulations. Health Canada Website. October 17th 2008.
Food packaging plastic linked to diabetes, liver abnormalities, and heart failure. American Academy of Anti-Aging. Longevity News. September 19th 2008.
