By: Associated Press
The chemical bisphenol A, widely used in food
and beverage containers, has been declared a toxic substance by the
government of Canada.
The decision to list BPA as being toxic to
both the environment and human health comes two years after Canada said
it would eliminate BPA from polycarbonate bottles used by infants and
children, The New York Times reported.
Image by kendosolns via Flickr
BPA — which is used to
create clear, hard plastics and some epoxies that line cans used for
fruits, vegetables and soft drinks — has been shown to disrupt the
hormone systems of animals. The chemical is under review in Europe and
the United States.
The toxic designation will likely bring an
abrupt halt to a number of food-related uses for BPA,Rick Smith,executive director of Environmental Defence, the Canadian group that
pushed for the designation, told The Times.
The chemical industry condemned the Canadian government‘s decision.
