Canada Lists Bisphenol A As Toxic

BPA, now listed as toxic by Health Canada, is found widely in plastic bottles and in the linings of aluminum cans.

This week, Health Canada officially declared bisphenol A (BPA) to be a toxic substance under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act. This decision will lead to government regulation and management to limit the use of this industrial chemical in plastic items to better control risks to health and the environment.

The announcement sets the stage for further action in Canada to minimize the prevalence of harmful industrial toxins in the future.

BPA is used in some hard, clear polycarbonate plastic items such as water bottles. It’s also a component in the production of epoxy resins, which are used in linings of aluminum cans.

In 2008, the government had banned its use in polycarbonate plastic baby bottles and baby food packaging.

To justify the labeling, the Canadian government cites scientific evidence that BPA can potentially act as an endocrine disruptor, mimicking hormones in the body, in low amounts.

Because the chemical has the potential of harming the body’s natural balance of hormones, it may present a risk to a child’s normal development. The chemical may also increase risk of a variety of diseases including type-2 diabetes, breast cancer, and prostate cancer.

The compound has also recently been named among possible obesogenic pollutants, or “obesogens,” defined as chemicals that may pose risk of disrupting hormonal signaling in fat tissue.

Earlier this year, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration announced that it would work with the industry to limit BPA in U.S. products and launch an investigation into use of BPA at low doses.

In the U.S. population, there is also widespread exposure to BPA. A previous report from the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention found that the majority of people in the U.S. had BPA present in their urine.

The Environmental Working Group has estimated that “6 billion pounds of BPA are produced globally annually.” The group has consistently reported news involving BPA over the recent years and has a timeline of the BPA controversy available on their Web site.

Important note: It is a part of Isagenix policy to avoid toxic chemicals such as BPA in any of its packaging. These include all plastic canisters containing Isagenix products including shakes, soups, and capsules. It also includes shakers and blenders.