A prominent environmental action group, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC)Â has filed a lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration for neglecting to respond to its petition to ban bisphenol A (BPA).

The FDA has 90 days to repsond to such petitions. After a 20-month wait, the Natural Resources Defense Council is asking for legal intervention from the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia.

BPA is a common chemical used in food and beverage containers that mimics estrogen. Scientists believe BPA may have negative health consequences for children and fetuses.

A recently published study also linked BPA to erectile dysfunction.

More on BPA (from Earth Eats):

• What's Really In Packaged Foods? Two Studies On BPA And Bacteria
• Canned Foods, BPA and Sexual Health

Read More:

• Enviro Group Sues to Force BPA Ban in Food Packaging (New York Times)
• Group sues FDA over inaction on BPA ban request (Journal Sentinel)
• Study links BPA in plastics to erectile dysfunction (CNN)