The Environmental Working Group (EWG) had been working for several years to warn people of the effects of bisphenol A (BPA). The EWG has also been working to get state and federal agencies to regulate BPA. Diane Feinstein, Democrat of California, was in the makings of a deal after months of negotiations. The deal agreed to by the Republicans and the Groceries Manufacturers Association was to ban BPA in baby bottles and Sippy bottles in the next 6 months. And the FDA would finalize the action by December 2012. The objections arose from the American Chemistry Council (ACC). The ACC spoke to enough Republicans to have the whole agreement scrapped. The chemical makers have been fighting for years to prevent the demise of BPA. Canada and several other states have banned BPA. The ACC insists that BPA is needed when companies such as CVS, Wal-mart, Toys R Us, and Babies R Us are all in the process of taking BPA products off their shelves.
Student Researcher: Amanda Junco
Faculty Evaluator: Elliot Cohen
Indian River State College
Sources: “Chemical Lobby Gets Its Way in US Senate
Last-Minute Calls to Republicans Scuttle Bi-Partisan Agreement to Ban BPA from Baby Bottles, Sippy Cups” The Environmental Working Group, Common Dreams, November 2010, http://www.commondreams.org/newswire/2010/11/19-5