The United Kingdom is mulling legislation to ban the use of uranium glass in a bid to curb the health risks posed by the element.
The U.S. has already banned the use uranium, a highly toxic element, in consumer products such as dishwashers, and is also considering banning the material.
But British officials have been less explicit about how the government plans to deal with the glass in consumer goods, including glassware.
The country’s Environment Secretary Owen Paterson told the BBC on Thursday that a government advisory panel will recommend a ban on the use in consumer product products, though he added that “we are going to have to look at it on a case-by-case basis.”
“It’s not a panacea, and it won’t be a silver bullet.
It won’t stop everything,” Paterson said.
“We will have to consider all the different health and environmental concerns.”
British authorities already have banned the toxic metal ethylbenzene in food and drink products and have said that they intend to do the same for glass.
In December, the British parliament passed a bill to ban glassware made of glass or other material with ethylphenylbenzoate (EPB), a toxic element linked to cancer and birth defects.
The legislation is expected to be voted on next month.
The bill requires the government to provide a detailed scientific review of the safety and environmental impact of using glass in glassware, including its potential health effects.
The government said it expects to submit the final report on the matter by the end of 2018.
The legislation also requires the company that makes the glass to provide information on how the glass is made and the chemicals used in the process.