China has joined Canada, the European Union, and the United Arab Emirates in banning bisphenol A (BPA) from baby bottles—a step the U.S. has not yet taken. In fact, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has yet to even decide what is a safe level of exposure to BPA.

Bisphenol A is a chemical used to make hard, polycarbonate plastics, and has been used for years in clear plastic bottles and food-can liners. Some studies have linked BPA to reproductive abnormalities and a heightened risk of breast and prostate cancers, diabetes, and heart disease.

According to news outlets, some stores in Beijing have removed polycarbonate bottles from shelves, but the bottles are still available in Shanghai.

For more information from our previous coverage of the status of BPAs in this country you can read our BPA update: what you need to know 5/11 from GreenerChoices.org.

China to ban plastic bottles to feed babies [ShanghaiDaily.com]

China Bans Production of Polycarbonate Baby Bottles [CRIEnglish.com]