The Canadian government may be ready to declare bisphenol-A (BPA) toxic. BPA is a chemical widely used in plastics for baby bottles, beverage and food containers.

A unnamed source with knowledge of the government’s chemical review program said that the staff work to list the compound as a toxic chemical was complete and was recently endorsed by a panel of outside scientists.

Such a declaration would make Canada the first country to make a health finding against B.P.A., which has been shown to disrupt the hormonal systems of animals.

Rick Smith, the executive director of Environmental Defence, a Canadian group that has been campaigning against BPA, said: “If the government issues a finding of toxic, no parent in their right mind will be using products made with this chemical. We will be arguing strongly for a ban on the use of this chemical in food and beverage containers.”