As part of a lawsuit against a California agency, a judge ordered Friday that Bisphenol-A, a controversial chemical used in plastics and metal food containers, be removed from the state's list of reproductive toxicants.

The chemical industry, which is seeking to convince Judge Raymond Cadei in Sacramento County Superior Court that the chemical does not cause birth defects, called the preliminary injunction a minor victory.

"We believe, based on the science, that it should not have been listed, and we look forward for a final resolution once the case is heard on its merits," said Kathryn St. John, a spokeswoman for the American Chemistry Council, a trade group that represents chemical manufacturers.

But Avinash Kar, an attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, an environmental advocacy group in San Francisco, said the decision was a temporary setback. His group has pushed the state to place restrictions on BPA.

"There will be further opportunities to argue the issues," he said.

A week ago, health advocates were celebrating when the state's Environmental Protection Agency listed BPA, as the chemical is commonly known, under Proposition 65. The consumer-safety law mandates that the state publish a list of chemicals that cause cancer or birth defects. Products with hazardous amounts of those chemicals are required to carry warning labels.

BPA is used in hard plastics, metal food and beverage containers, sales receipts made of thermal paper, dental sealants and other household items. Consumer activists say there is growing research suggesting that the chemical, believed to be found in the bodies of 90 percent of the U.S. population, is an endocrine disruptor linked to infertility and other harm.

But the American Chemistry Council argues that there is insufficient evidence to support this claim, noting, for example, that the U.S. Food and Drug Administration says BPA is "safe at the very low levels that occur in some foods."