News: BPA added to Canada’s list of toxic substances

The chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) has officially been declared toxic by the Canadian government. The substance, which is used to make some plastic containers, has been added to Canada’s toxic substance list Wednesday, reports the CBC.

You may recall that in 2008, Canada began looking into the toxicity of BPA and banned the substance from being used in baby bottles and in the lining of cans of formula. But this is the first tine the substance has been added to the country’s list of toxic substances.

Studies of BPA’s effects have suggested that the chemical may be associated with health concerns such as poor sexual function in adult males, early puberty, obesity, cancer and adult-onset diabetes.

In tests conducted between 2007 and 2009 by Statistics Canada’s Health Measures Survey, BPA was found in the urine of 91 percent of the population. Perhaps that’s because BPA has been so ubiquitous, as it’s used as a protective lining for cans, in food bottles, in dental sealants, even in some cash register receipts.