Industry groups say an upcoming European ban on bisphenol A in plastic baby bottles could lead to bans on use of the substance in other forms of packaging.

The European Union has already banned substances such as phtalates, commonly used in toys, cosmetics and cars.

Packaging industry groups have criticized the European Commission for its failure to follow the science-based advice of the European Food Safety Authority, which as recently as September 2010 said current levels of the chemical in food packaging materials did not pose a health risk, FoodProductionDaily.com reported Wednesday.

The British Plastics Federation expressed strong opposition, saying United Kingdom adoption of the ban would "undermine the EFSA opinion, denying the relevance of science-based evidence and establishing an unwelcome precedent."

The debate comes as France says it considering a ban on a number of chemicals suspected of causing cancer, heart disease and hormonal disfunctions, Radio France Internationale reported.