Environmentalists are welcoming a report by an independent panel of scientific advisers which found flaws in the government's assurance that a controversial chemical is safe for use in food containers.

The chemical is known as bisphenol A. It is used to make plastic for food packaging, baby bottles and other consumer and medical products.

Consumer groups wanted the Environmental Protection Administration to ban the chemical in products for infants because of concerns that it can interfere with their development.

But the Food and Drug Administration recently said there is no harm from the low doses of BPA that babies, children and most adults get by eating foods from containers made with the chemical.

The report by independent experts said the margins of safety outlined by FDA are inadequate.