U.S. panel to probe safety of chemical found in baby bottles, food containers
Last Updated: Wednesday, February 28, 2007 | 4:24 PM ET
CBC News
A panel of independent U.S. health experts will meet next week to explore the safety of a chemical frequently found in plastic products, including toys, bottles and food storage containers.
A division of the U.S. National Institutes of Health will examine studies on bisphenol A, also called BPA, which is used in the production of hard, clear, polycarbonate plastic. While the industry says bisphenol A is non-toxic, some studies have suggested the chemical may cause developmental or reproductive damage.
"The Center for the Evaluation of Risks to Human Reproduction selected this compound for evaluation because of its high volume of production, widespread human exposure, evidence of reproductive toxicity in animal studies, and public interest and concern," the institute said in a release.
The panel will be made up of a team of scientists from academia, industry and public health groups.
Bisphenol A doesn't pose health risk: Health Canada
Health Canada says while some suspect the chemical may cause harm to the human hormone system, its studies have shown that bisphenol A is almost completely consumed during the manufacturing process.
The federal agency says that its tests on plastic baby feeding bottles and other plastic products showed the presence of small residual levels, which could only leach into a beverage under extreme conditions.
