Did White House choose chemical industry interests over public health?
The Obama administration’s withdrawal last week of two pending EPA proposals that would have helped inform the public about potentially dangerous chemicals showed showed that it was catering to the interests of the chemical industry, according to the National Resources Defence Council (NRDC). The group said the move undermines public health efforts.
One proposal would have listed bisphenol A (BPA), eight phthalates, and a class of flame retardants known as PBDEs (polybrominated diphenyl ethers)—as “chemicals of concern.” The other would have made it harder for chemical companies to claim health and safety studies of new chemicals as confidential business information to shield them from public scrutiny.