The government of Canada has declared bisphenol A, also known as BPA, to the country's list of toxic substances.
Canada is the first country in the world to do so.
The hormone-disrupting chemical linked to some cancers is used primarily in producing polycarbonate plastic and resins for food containers, water bottles and protective linings for canned food and beverages.
In 2008, Canada became the first country in the world to ban the chemical, an estrogen-mimicking substance, in baby bottles after concluding that the industrial chemical could eventually lead to prostate and breast cancer.
Now, the government has designated the chemical as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
A Statistics Canada study released in August reported that nearly all Canadians - 91 per cent of those aged six to 79 - have BPA in their urine, and that children and teenagers have higher levels of the estrogen-mimicking chemical than adults.
The study was based on a two-year survey that measured levels of exposure to more than 80 chemicals and environmental contaminants among more than 5,400 Canadians between the ages of six and 79.
Researchers found a mean concentration of 1.16 micrograms of BPA per liter in the urine of Canadians tested. Teenagers had the highest concentrations of BPA, while children between 6 and 11 had higher concentrations then adults over 40.
Statistics Canada said the findings suggest there is "continual widespread exposure in the Canadian population" to BPA.
The Statistics Canada sampling is the largest such effort done to date in the world.
Fore more information on BPA from Health Canada, click here.
Canada is the first country in the world to do so.
The hormone-disrupting chemical linked to some cancers is used primarily in producing polycarbonate plastic and resins for food containers, water bottles and protective linings for canned food and beverages.
In 2008, Canada became the first country in the world to ban the chemical, an estrogen-mimicking substance, in baby bottles after concluding that the industrial chemical could eventually lead to prostate and breast cancer.
Now, the government has designated the chemical as toxic under the Canadian Environmental Protection Act.
A Statistics Canada study released in August reported that nearly all Canadians - 91 per cent of those aged six to 79 - have BPA in their urine, and that children and teenagers have higher levels of the estrogen-mimicking chemical than adults.
The study was based on a two-year survey that measured levels of exposure to more than 80 chemicals and environmental contaminants among more than 5,400 Canadians between the ages of six and 79.
Researchers found a mean concentration of 1.16 micrograms of BPA per liter in the urine of Canadians tested. Teenagers had the highest concentrations of BPA, while children between 6 and 11 had higher concentrations then adults over 40.
Statistics Canada said the findings suggest there is "continual widespread exposure in the Canadian population" to BPA.
The Statistics Canada sampling is the largest such effort done to date in the world.
Fore more information on BPA from Health Canada, click here.
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