The ubiquitous bisphenol A chemical, found in hard plastic bottles, is coming under scrutiny over mounting public views that it may pose a health issue. Canada voiced that it is moving towards banning BPA’s use in baby bottles, and could well be the first country to ban the import, sale and advertising of BPA. In the US, experiments with rats have raised questions on the effect the chemical may have on humans, particularly infants. Sales of Nalgene bottles containing the chemical have also been halted. Despite evidence in some studies of a link between traces of BPA and some illnesses like cancer and reproductive problems, the chemicals industry maintains that polycarbonate bottles contain little BPA and any traces of it too low to be harmful to humans. While the jury is still out on this, consumers in North America have opted for the safer bet of going for alternative products.
