They don't mess around with their baby bottles in the Great White North. The Canadian government announced Friday that it plans to ban bottles that contain bisphenol A, or BPA, the controversial chemical found in many plastic products. As we've all heard umpteen times by now, there is evidence that exposure to BPA may cause health problems, including possible hormonal and reproductive disorders in infants. 
Here in the U.S., the federal government has not proposed banning baby bottles that contain BPA. But, as the AP reports, several state goverments are considering ways to restrict its use. Some major retailers also have pulled BPA-containing products from their shelves.
If there is a reason that U.S officials haven't issued a ban, it's probably because the scientific community at large can't seem to agree on whether BPA is really harmful. The FDA still says it's safe, although an independent panel is in the process of reviewing that claim. But that panel's effectiveness recently has been called into question because its chairman, Martin Philbert, headed a research center that received a donation from Charles Gelman, a well known critic of the BPA backlash.Lawmakers are investigating that potential conflict of interest. In other words, this whole thing has turned into one hot, baby bottle mess, which means that getting a clear answer about the potential hazards of the chemical may take a while.
What do you think? Is Canada doing the right thing by swfitly banning BPA bottles and erring on the side of caution? Or is the U.S. taking appropriate action by evaluating more evidence before considering a nationwide ban?
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Photo: green-mommy.com
