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By Margie Kelly, Communications Manager
Last week Health Canada issued a report finding BPA in food packaging safe, just two years after the Canadian government declared bisphenol A (BPA) toxic to human health.
Somehow Canada found the presence of a toxic chemical in food containers not so bad after all.
“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.”
In 2010, it was a different story entirely. By finding that BPA toxic to human health, Canada set the stage for removing the chemical from products that contained food, like cans.
"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," said Canada’s Health Minister Leona Aglukkaq.
Health Canada’s 2010 finding spurred action against BPA in the US at the state level and in market campaigns. Nearly a dozen states passed bans on BPA in children’s products, while the entire US baby bottle market went completely BPA free. In July, the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) officially banned BPA in baby bottles at the request of the American Chemistry Council, which hoped to boost consumer confidence.
Yet consumer confidence remains shaken by the finding that a toxic chemical that may harm human health at low doses is found everywhere from canned foods to cash register receipts to dental fillings. More than 8 billion pounds of BPA are produced worldwide every year, according to Plastics News.
Despite Canada’s recent finding, the science on BPA remains alarming. Over the past few years, more scientific studies have linked BPA exposure to breast cancer, depression in young girls, birth defects and other reproductive health disorders. And just last week, a new study found teens with high levels of BPA in their urine more likely to be obese. The author, Dr. Leo Trasande at the NYU School of Medicine, told ABC News: "Our study can't identify obesity as being caused by BPA. But in the context of increasing evidence from experimental studies, it raises further concern."
In March, the FDA rejected a petition by NRDC to eliminate BPA from food packaging in the US, though it will continue to monitor the science about BPA’s effects on human health. Dr. Trasande told Time Magazine that his obesity study “suggests that we need to reconsider the recent choice not to ban BPA in cans” especially since there are alternatives to making cans safer.
In the meantime, follow these tips to lessen your exposure to BPA.
1. Skip the can. Food cans are lined with BPA (or sometimes with its chemical cousin BPS). Eat fresh or frozen vegetables and beans or be sure to buy BPA-free cans, like Eden Organics, which is using a non-toxic alternative in its cans.
2. One more reason to cut soda from your diet. Soda, beer and water served in cans have been exposed to BPA, as it is used to line aluminum cans. Choose glass instead.
3. No receipt, thank you. Receipts are coated with BPA, which is also found on money. Don’t take receipts unless you absolutely need them and wash your hands frequently.
4. Keep your teeth BPA free! Be sure to ask your dentist for to use only BPA-free fillings and sealants on your kids’ teeth.
Source: http://feedproxy.google.com/~r/checblog/~3/hXpZsW8W2Uk/
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