Canada okays BPA

Canada's Bureau of Chemical Safety releases a new report backing the use of BPA in food packaging.

Fri, Sep 28 2012 at 10:41 AM

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BPA

In 2010, when Canada made the decision to declare BPA toxic and ban it from baby bottles, the Canadian Health Minister stated:

"Our science indicated that bisphenol A may be harmful to both human health and the environment and we were the first country to take bold action in the interest of Canadians."

I applauded that decision along with the rest of the eco-conscious world. It was a bold move, and one that many environmentalists hoped the world would follow.

But now, that stance has been weakened by a report released this week in which Canada's Bureau of Chemical Safety ultimately deems BPA safe for use in food packaging. This report states:

"Based on the overall weight of evidence, the findings of the previous assessment remain unchanged and Health Canada's Food Directorate continues to conclude that current dietary exposure to BPA through food packaging uses is not expected to pose a health risk to the general population, including newborns and young children."

Of course, the agency did leave itself some wiggle room to change course should even more evidence about the harmful health effects of BPA be produced, stating:

"To be clear, no assessment is ever 'final.' Health Canada will continue to monitor the latest information around exposure to BPA and the safety of its use as a food packaging material."

Oh, Canada. So much for bold action.

What do you think about Canada's latest stance on BPA?

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