Canada Aims to Eliminate Bisphenol-A

In a rather unprecedented move, the Canadian Department of the Environment confirmed last week that the government is in the process of adding bisphenol-A (BPA) to its list of toxic substances. Government officials promised to do so nearly two years ago, and since then, the issue has been surrounded by controversy. That isn't a surprise, though, as a ban on BPA would have international ramifications and would be a huge success in the movement to eliminate the chemical from the food supply.

As has been written about numerous times on Change.org, BPA is an endocrine-disrupting chemical whose estrogen-like effects are suspected of causing numerous problems. I wrote recently about a study that suggests BPA is partially responsible for early-onset puberty in girls as young as seven years old. And there's no escaping it either, as BPA appears to be everywhere, from canned soup to grocery store receipts.

Last week, the Canadian government released a study with findings that showed 91 percent of people tested positive for BPA in their urine. Children aged six to 11 displayed the highest concentrations of the chemical.

So let's review what's happened with BPA in Canada over the past two years: a problem was detected, it was determined to be widespread, and the government is taking action to correct the problem. Amazing! Although other countries have taken steps to limit the use of BPA, Canada would be the first to label it outright as a toxic substance. Denmark has banned the use of BPA in anything that comes in contact with food, and France, as well as some U.S. states, have banned the chemical in baby bottles.

It seems that Canada is ahead of the game here, and hopefully all the better for them. Now let's hope our lawmakers in Washington can take a hint from our neighbors to the North and deal the final blow to BPA.

Photo credit: kalleboo via Flickr