baby bottles fly off store shelves

The Globe and Mail reports that the overwhelming demand in BPA-free baby bottles has resulted in shortages across the country, making it difficult for many Canadian parents to get their hands on them.

The mounting public concern over bisphenol A, a potentially harmful and increasingly controversial chemical common in many plastics, has reached a boiling point in Canada after recent tests on Avent, Gerber and Playtex brands showed the chemical can leach from baby bottles and may be harmful to children.

Though distributors like Born Free, Green to Grow and ThinkBaby are filling orders as quickly as they can, the demand has been so high many stores don't expect new stock for several more weeks.

Glass bottles are more readily available, but some parents and child care organizations are wary of using them because of the risk of broken glass.

nalgene: guilty until proven innocent

Lycra-loving Lululemon is the second Canadian retailer to pull polycarbonate bottles containing bisphenol A from its shelves. New water bottles arriving in stores will be made of acrylic and free of the controversial chemical. Outdoor lovers have been unable to get the hard plastic bottles at Mountain Equipment Co-op stores since a ban came into effect in early December.

Toronto-based Environmental Defence applauded the company's decision, and urged other retailers to put restrictions in place. "The dangers of bisphenol A in food and drink are becoming clear, and it won't be long before this chemical is gone completely from food and beverage containers," said the group's spokesperson.

Despite this push for bans on bisphenol A products, research surrounding the chemical's effects has been inconclusive, and many argue that small amounts of the chemical are not harmful. Hmmmm. Health Canada is examining the health risks of bisphenol A, commonly known as BPA, and is expected to report back to the federal government by May.

Read the media release>>

Urge Canada to ban Bisphenol A

Environmental Defence is urging our government to ban Bisphenol A, a toxic chemical that has been shown to cause numerous adverse health effects. BPA is found in clear, hard thick plastic, such as in water bottles and baby bottles, and in the linings of some food cans. Take a moment to sign their online petition asking the federal government to ban Bisphenol A in food and beverage containers.

They have also released the results of a study showing the levels of toxic chemicals in Canadians, young and old. View the alarming results at Toxic Nation.