Baby bottles containing the controversial chemical bisphenol A, may be banned from stores by the fall after the federal government announced plans to limit the use of the chemical.
A draft report from Health Canada found the chemical to be potentially dangerous to infants and the environment.
At a press conference in Ottawa on Friday, Health Minister Tony Clement said the government would take "prudent" action in banning the sale and importing of baby products containing the chemical.
But he said that the levels of bisphenol A (BPA) that most Canadian adults are exposed to is not harmful.
However, laboratory studies have shown that when infants are exposed to the substance, it can lead to future behavioural and neurological problems.
"Although our science tells us that exposure levels to newborns and infants are below the levels that cause effects, we believe that the current safety margin needs to be higher," Clement said.
"We have concluded that it is better to be safe than sorry."
In a technical briefing for reporters, Health Canada and Environment Canada officials said in the best case scenario, it would take 12-15 months for baby bottles containing BPA to be completely gone from Canadian shelves.
There was quick praise from mothers who listened to the announcement.
"If they research it and they think a chemical is not good for someone, anything they can do to get rid of it is a good thing," Jennifer Simons told CTV's Roger Smith.
'Precautionary action'
In December 2006, the federal government announced the Chemicals Management Plan, to assess and regulate chemicals found in both industrial and consumer products.
Bisphenol A was one of about 200 chemicals that was "selected for priority review," Clement said.
"Based on the results of our recently completed assessment, today I am proposing precautionary action to reduce exposure and increase safety for Canadians," Clement said.
A 60-day public comment period begins Saturday. It will allow all interested parties to submit information about the substance to the government. If no new information is put forward that changes the government's position, regulations can be established to control BPA's use.
Clement noted that Canada will be the first country to regulate and limit the use of bisphenol A.
Bisphenol A is a building block of polycarbonate, the hard, clear glass-like plastic that is part of hundreds of everyday household products, from water bottles to home electronics to baby bottles.
Clement said that the government believes that BPA levels in items such as hockey helmets, CDs, electronic equipment and certain car parts are safe. As well, he said that Health Canada's research indicates that it is safe for Canadians to drink water out of hard plastic bottles.
However, Clement noted that bisphenol A is found in the lining of metal food cans, including cans of baby formula. So Health Canada will work with manufacturers to decrease levels of BPA in these products.
Reduce exposure
Clement said that parents can exercise precautions if they are currently using baby bottles that contain BPA. Parents should not pour boiling water into the bottles, because research shows that boiling water is what causes BPA to leach out.
Parents can also reduce their baby's exposure to BPA by using BPA-free or glass baby bottles.
Clement also announced that part of the budget from the Chemicals Management Plan would be devoted to further study of the potential health effects of BPA on mothers, their unborn babies, and infants.
Some studies show that BPA mimics the hormone estrogen in the bloodstream, and is linked to health problems including breast cancer and infertility.
Environment Minister John Baird also said that bisphenol A is found in trace amounts in waste water and sludge treatment plants. At low levels, BPA can harm fish and other organisms.
Previous reports claimed that this announcement would come as early as last Wednesday. That prompted several Canadian retailers to pull products containing bisphenol A from their shelves.
The Forzani Group, which owns and operates several sporting-good stores, the Hudson's Bay Company, Home Depot, London Drugs and Rexall Pharmacies decided to pull water bottles and other products that contain the chemical from their shelves this week.
Walmart announced that it will immediately stop selling products with BPA in its Canadian stores, and will stop selling baby bottles with the chemical in U.S. stores next year.
In the last year, retailers such as Mountain Equipment Co-op stopped selling water bottles containing bisphenol A.
However, after the government's announcement that BDA was safe for adult use, some stores have begun to put the product back on their shelves.
With a report from CTV's Roger Smith
