Scientists have lambasted the Government for refusing to take action on a controversial chemical extensively used in baby bottles, even while other countries have started passing their own bans.

Denmark is the first European country to ban the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in any food containers for young kids, among increasing scientific facts that implies that the chemical could slow down brain development and cause serious health issues.

Nearly all mainstream baby bottle makers have already started producing BPA-free lines, but an inquiry by The Independent this week disclosed how high-street retailers, together with Boots and Mothercare, were still retailing older bottles containing the chemical.

Boots has now said that it will remove BPA bottles within "a couple of weeks" but Mothercare will keep selling them until early August.

Meanwhile, the British Government is opposing any kind of ban and continues to claim that BPA causes no harm to public health. Its attitude differs with that of an increasing number of Western Governments that have settled on to stay on the side of caution and issue temporary bans until more evidence surfaces.

Canada and three states in the US have already prohibited the chemical in baby products, and the French Senate has supported a temporary ban.

This week, the Environmental Protection Agency, America's second biggest public health body has also declared that it would inspect the possible dangers of BPA to the environment.