Canada's largest sports retailer pulled all rugged plastic bottles made of polycarbonate from its shelves, following the example of US retailer Patagonia. It seems that polycarbonate containers tend to leach the chemical bisphenol-A (BPA), an estrogen-mimic that has been linked to cancer, Alzheimer's, Down syndrome, & reproductive problems. These leading retailers apparently thought the risks so great that they didn't want to push the products any longer, even though the FDA says the amount of leaching falls well within the safe range. Polycarbonate plastic can be found in blue water bubblers common in offices; baby bottles; wine vats; dental sealants; & in food-can linings. This might explain why a 2004 study by the CDC found that 95% of Americans have the chemical in their urine.
