Canada is being noted as the first country to set limits regarding the exposure to bisphenol A (BPA), the chemical used in the production of plastic products including baby rattles, bottles, teething rings and pacifiers. The United States has also set forth on a path to limit the usage of bisphenol A in the production of plastics and one company, a producer of plastic drink bottles, has already announced the removal of BPA from their manufacturing process.
The bottle maker, Nalgene, has chosen to step aside their production of plastics with BPA in order to heed consumer concern over the health risks posed by the use of the chemical. Wal-Mart, identified as the world's largest retailer, is also stepping up to the plate by announcing they will no longer carry baby products containing Bisphenol A within its Canadian stores and to phase out all US product lines over the next 12 month period.
The news began to center on Bisphenol A earlier this year when the NTP (US National Toxicology Program) released a study linking Bisphenol A to behavioral changes in children. While the release clearly stated, “some concern” should be held for the negative side effects, consumers are not waiting to see if they are right.
Although the exposure to babies through the use of baby bottles containing BPA has not been reported as unhealthy, Canada will be focusing their ban on those bottles first. The ban is said to be taking effect in June of this year.
The health effects of BPA on both adults and children is now under close scrutiny with many members of the United States government taking further steps to ban the BPA laced products from every product that may come in contact with children. One set of government officials is even looking into the BPA oversight as a FDA (Food and Drug Administration) negligence issue.
Amidst the possible bans on BPA in the United States and Canada, the bottle maker Nalgene has now chosen to use Tritan, which is manufactured by Eastman Chemical, for the production of their water bottles. Playtex, a leading producer of child and infant products has also announced they will be moving out of the BPA market and producing their plastics with a healthier alternative chemical.
