The Food Safety Modernization Act, which would overhaul the U.S. food safety system, is moving forward without Sen. Dianne Feinstein’s amendment banning BPA from children’s products. Feinstein (D-Calif.) withdrew the measure Wednesday, telling reporters the American Chemistry Council had mobilized Republicans against the measure.
ACSH’s Dr. Elizabeth Whelan says she’s “delighted,” but is also perturbed by thereporting on the issue.
“If you read all the articles, it’s being portrayed as ‘industry put all this pressure on, industry got their bad thing through’ — instead of, ‘science was clearly on the side of BPA,’” Dr. Whelan says. “It really bothers me to see this conveyed as industry versus the consumer, and there’s no other interest portrayed.”
“It was not just ‘industry’ that opposed this baseless, politically motivated ban of safe and useful BPA,” agrees ACSH’s Dr. Gilbert Ross. “Educated consumers and anyone devoted to science-based health policy also opposed it.”
A final vote on the food safety bill, which would increase agricultural inspections and require enhanced industry record-keeping, could come as soon as today or this weekend.