There was a lot going on last week on the BPA front. BPA is bisphenol A, a chemical used in plastic to make it hard and clear. It’s often used in containers – water bottles and baby bottles, in particular. However, questions have been raised about it’s health risks, especially for children, because it may mimic a human hormone. 

On Friday the Canadian government moved to ban polycarbonate infant bottles, the most popular variety on the market, after it officially declared BPA toxic. It was the first time a national government has taken action against use of the chemical in consumer products. 

There’s more. The maker of the popular Nalgene bottles said last week that it will stop using BPA in its products. Nalgene Outdoor Products is a unit of Thermo Fisher Scientific, based in Rochester. A spokesman said the company was responding to consumer concerns, but that the products with BPA are safe.

Meanwhile, the National Toxicology Program in the United States issued a detailed report summarizing all the scientific research on BPA, with conclusions.   If you have a taste for scientific documents,  you can read the report here.   

If you want to know more about how to reduce your childrens’ exposure to BPA, the Minnesota environmental advocacy group Healthy Legacy will explain how. They are holding educational meetings for parents, and to raise support for a bill pending at the Minnesota State Legislature that would ban BPA in some products.