BPA safe for food packaging: Health Canada

Canada has upheld its stance on BPA (bisphenol A), deeming it safe for food packaging, despite banning it from baby bottles.

The chemical is used to make hard plastic containers and metal can linings.

The Canadian government determined in 2008 that, despite worries about the chemical leaching into packaged products, studies showed the chemical was not expected to pose a health risk to the general population, including newborns and young children.

Despite that, Ottawa announced two years later declared the chemical “toxic” and banned it from baby bottles.

“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,” the new Health Canada report said

“This conclusion is consistent with those of other food regulatory agencies in other countries, including notably the United States, the European Union and Japan.”

The Canadian announcement came just two months after the U.S. Food and Drug Administration banned the use of BPA in baby bottles and children’s’ sippy cups.

The Health Canada study can be found at this link.