BPA officially toxic

California officially declared the chemical Bisphenol-A (BPA) a reproductive toxicant on April 11.

Research has increasingly indicated BPA—a chemical commonly found in hard plastic bottles, food and beverage cans, and dental sealants—is an endocrine disruptor that can hinder reproductive health and has been linked to birth defects, according to SFGate.com.

For years, consumer health advocates have pushed the state Environmental Protection Agency to include BPA under Proposition 65, which publishes lists of chemicals known to cause cancer and birth defects and requires a warning label on products containing hazardous levels of a listed chemical.

BPA will not be banned under Proposition 65, but could be phased out of production due to consumer backlash.