Bisphenol A, also known as BPA, is used in making polycarbonate plastic food and drinks packaging and is found in five of the leading baby bottle brands.
As part of their Chemicals Management Plan, Health Canada initiated a review in 2005-2006 of all research and toxicological data pertaining to BPA.
The most recent Health Risk Assessment, conducted by Health Canada's scientists, found exposure to BPA from food packaging and baby bottles is well below the Tolerable Daily Intake established in 2002.
However, a lawyer for the Los Angeles-based Environment California told Reuters on Thursday new laboratory tests at the University of Missouri found that the chemical in baby bottles leached into liquids at potentially dangerous levels.
Environmentalists believe exposure to such dangerous levels could cause developmental, neural and reproductive problems.
The industry trade group Juvenile Products Manufactures was quick to defend the safety of their baby bottles:
"Other scientific studies have shown that BPA has no effect on the reproductive system, no effect on the developmental system and no carcinogenic (cancer-causing) effects. Recent reports indicating otherwise are both sensational and biased, and they have not received any validation from the scientific community," the group said in a statement.
While the industry views BPA as harmless, the National Institute of Health said studies indicate the chemical may mimic a natural female sex hormone.
The NIH review, which will include members of the academic community, scientists and public health groups, was motivated, in part, by evidence of reproductive toxicity in animal studies exposure to BPA.
The Canadian federal government will publish a profile of the chemical and will provide a forum where stakeholders can comment and provide information on BPA. After six months, government scientists will review the information and the government will decide what action to take.
Health Canada will also include Biphenyl A in the Canadian Health Measures Survey 2007- 2009, which will monitor BPA in over 5,000 Canadians.
