As Canada moves to ban a hormone-like chemical in baby bottles, more U.S. retailers and Senator Charles Schumer (D-NY) are working to phase out use of the ingredient, called bisphenol A, or BPA, reports USA TODAY.  Wal-Mart said last week that it will stop selling baby bottles made with BPA by early next year. Toys ‘R’ Us made a similar announcement this week saying it will phase out bottles and other “baby feeding products” containing BPA by the end of the year.

Nalgene, maker of plastic water bottles used by sports enthusiasts, and Playtex, maker of a variety of baby products, have also said they will stop using BPA as an ingredient in polycarbonate plastic. According to the American Chemistry Council, BPA is an ingredient that makes plastics flexible and shatter-resistant and has been used for decades.

Last year, a group of 38 scientists issued a joint statement published in Reproductive Toxicology warning that even very low doses of BPA cause profound effects on laboratory animals, particularly during pregnancy and infancy. They found that BPA, which acts like the hormone estrogen, can permanently rewire genetic programming before birth, reports USA TODAY.

Pediatrician and author Alan Greene of Stamford University encourages parents to reduce their children’s exposure to BPA by choosing glass bottles or avoiding plastics labeled with a number 7 recycling code.