Canada to List Key Chemical in Common Plastics as Toxic
LANDMARK REGULATORY MOVE STEMS FROM ENVIRONMENTAL, PUBLIC HEALTH CONCERNS
A report in the New York Times cites an anonymous Canadian government source as saying Canada will soon declare bisphenol-a (BPA), a chemical found in some plastics, toxic. The move is prompted by concerns over observed effects on animals, potential environmental contamination, and fears of public health impact in the human population.
The same Times article also reports that “a draft report from the United States Department of Health and Human Services’ National Toxicology Program endorsed a scientific panel’s finding that there was “some concern” about neural and behavioral changes in humans who consume B.P.A.”
The HHS draft came on the same day as the Health Canada story was first reported in the Toronto newspaper, the Globe and Mail. The US may be the next country to take regulatory action against the chemical, though the next step will likely be further studies, with no toxic classification.
The official announcement of the designation opens a 60-day comment period for both the general public and industry. In all, a two-year review process will be followed which could end with “a partial or complete ban on food-related uses of plastics made using B.P.A.”
Rick Smith, the executive director of Canadian activist group Environmental Defence, is quoted as saying “If the government issues a finding of toxic, no parent in their right mind will be using products made with this chemical”. He also said the group, which already campaigns against BPA, “will be arguing strongly for a ban on the use of this chemical in food and beverage containers”.
Professor Jack Bend, an expert in pathology at London’s University of Western Ontario, has said studies make clear that BPA is “an endocrine disrupter”, meaning it interrupts the normal function of hormonal systems, though it is not known to what degree this negatively impacts human beings.
admin @ April 17, 2008