Canada Moves Toward BPA Ban; Wal-Mart Will Pull All BPA-Laced Items

For Immediate Release:

Friday, April 18, 2008

WASHINGTON, April 18 – A day after the world’s largest retailer announced plans to pull all products containing the toxic chemical BPA from store shelves, Canada began moving forward with a total ban of the toxic chemical. Environmental Working Group (EWG), whose investigations of BPA in consumer products have driven the campaign to ban the compound, said the Canadian government’s action is good news, but action is still needed in the U.S.

"We applaud Canada's decisive action to reduce babies' exposure to bisphenol A through restrictions on polycarbonate bottles and infant formula containers,” said EWG Executive Director Richard Wiles. “The rapid response by major retailers like Walmart and Nalgene shows that retailers can and should take immediate action to provide parents with safer products. At the same time, we call on the U.S. government to provide the public with the same protections as our northern neighbors.”

Coming on the heels of the announcement by the Canadian government, U.S. Sen. Charles Schumer (D-NY) today announced plans to introduce legislation that would implement a widespread ban of BPA in the United States.

“The announcement by Senator Schumer is more good news for parents and for everyone who cares about public health,” said Wiles. “Legislation to ban BPA from commerce would be a significant first step to a fundamental overhaul of the nation’s federal regulatory process of the chemical industry.”

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EWG is a nonprofit research organization based in Washington, DC that uses the power of information to protect human health and the environment.