Health officials in Canada have officially classified bisphenol A (BPA) as toxic. BPA mimics the female sex hormone oestrogen & has been linked to birth defects in boys, heart disease in adults, & lower sperm counts and breast cancer in animals. Canada is the first country to classify the chemical as risky. The Federal Ministries of Health & Environment said the chemical may be entering the environment in a quantity or under conditions that may pose a danger. Health Minister Tony Clement said a report on bisphenol A has found the chemical endangers people, particularly newborns & infants, citing concerns that the chemical in polycarbonate products & epoxy linings can migrate into food & beverages. Infants are particularly vulnerable because of their frequent use of baby bottles that often contain the chemical, which is used to harden plastic & make it shatterproof. The government plans to restrict the importation, sale and advertising of bottles made with BPA. "Many Canadians ... have expressed their concern to me about the risks of bisphenol A in baby bottles," said Canada's Environment Minister John Baird in a statement. "Today's confirmation of our ban on BPA in baby bottles proves that our government did the right thing in taking action to protect the health and environment for all Canadians."
