An ubiquitous chemical found in hard plastic water bottles, DVDs, CDs and hundreds of other common items came under increased pressure Friday when Canada labeled it dangerous and said it may ban its use in baby bottles, according to The Associated Press. Health Canada made the announcement shortly after a U.S. company said it would stop selling hard-plastic Nalgene water bottles made with bisphenol A because of growing consumer concern over whether the chemical poses a health risk. Health Canada is the first regulatory body in the world to call bisphenol A dangerous. It could be the first step in Canada banning the chemical altogether. Earlier this week, the U.S. government's National Toxicology Program said that there is «some concern» about BPA from experiments on rats that linked the chemical to changes in behavior and the brain, early puberty and possibly precancerous changes in the prostate and breast. While such animal studies only provide «limited evidence» of risk, the draft report said a possible effect on humans «cannot be dismissed.» With more than 6 million pounds produced in the United States each year, bisphenol A is found in dental sealants, baby bottles, the liners of food cans, CDs and DVDs, eyeglasses and hundreds of household goods. In Canada, Health Minister Tony Clement said a draft report on bisphenol A has found the chemical endangers people _ particularly newborns and infants _ and the environment. Ottawa is giving the public 60 days to comment on the report and Clement said it will ban its use in baby bottles if no new relevant information comes forward. «It is our intention to ban the importation, the sale and advertising,» Clement said of its use in baby bottles. «Canada will be the first country in the world to take such action to limit exposures to bisphenol A.»
