Action Alert

CMP Working Group ENGO members - Request for Sign-on to Joint ENGO Submission on Bisphenol-A

On April 19, 2008, the Government of Canada announced it would list bisphenol A (BPA) as toxic under Schedule 1 of the Canadian Environmental Protection Act (CEPA 1999), both for its potential impacts on human health and the damage it could cause to ecosystems.

At the same time, the Health Minister announced that BPA-containing baby bottles would be banned for use.  The Minister emphasized that this was a precautionary action and that bisphenol A was otherwise “safe.”

Despite evidence of significant risk to health and the environment described in the draft assessment, the government has not indicated any plans to take further action.  No risk management actions are intended for specified products which include automotive parts, dental materials, two-component epoxy adhesives, optical lenses, and polycarbonate water bottles.

The proposed risk management approach is to be released in approximately six months (December 2008), coincident with the publication of the final screening assessment report.

While ENGOs support the proposal to list bisphenol-A as a toxic substance under CEPA, there are several issues and concerns regarding both the draft assessment and most particularly, the very limited scope document.

This submission is a consolidated summary of issues and recommendations identified by ENGOs on both the draft assessment and the scoping document.

We are asking for your sign-on to this submission. Given the short time frame, sign-ons will be also be taken after the submission date of June 18.

Read the Submission here.

To reply to sign-on, send an email to: annatilman@sympatico.ca