Bisphenol-A Declared Potentially Harmful by Health Canada
Health Canada had announced that bisphenol-A (BPA) is potentially harmful. A chemical component of many plastics, BPA has received harsh media scrutiny recently because cells react to the synthetic chemical much like the female hormone estrogen.
The top concern is plastic baby bottles. When heated, BPA-containing bottles can leach significant amounts of the chemical, raising the level of BPA in the infant’s bloodstream. The chemical’s hormone-like effects could cause permanent health damage.
In response, baby bottle manufacturers have released BPA-free bottles. Water bottle giant Nalgene has already made a similar announcement.
BPA is found in other products as well, ranging from food containers to dental sealants. (Stay tuned for Jim Du Molin’s upcoming editorial on the subject.)