"Industry Opposition Scuttles Bipartisan Senate Bid for BPA Curbs"

"A bipartisan Senate deal to limit the use of controversial chemical bisphenol A (BPA) was scuttled hours ago amid opposition from the industry's main trade group, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Calif.) said [Wednesday].

Feinstein told reporters that she and Sen. Michael Enzi (R-Wyo.) had reached agreement last night on adding language to the Senate's pending food safety bill, which cleared a key procedural hurdle today on a 74-25 vote, to set a six-month window for banning BPA from baby bottles and children's drinking cups.

But the American Chemistry Council (ACC), chemical manufacturers' chief Washington lobbying arm, "opposes even that" and has mobilized other Republicans against any attempt to address BPA on the food legislation, Feinstein said.

'I don't understand how a chemical group would oppose taking a chemical which, at the very least, may impact the endocrine systems of infants [out of products] because they want to make money on it,' the California Democrat added, calling the situation 'very, very frustrating.'"

Elana Schor reports for Greenwire November 17, 2010.