Pryor seeks facts about chemicals
Posted on Saturday, May 17, 2008
BENTON COUNTY - U. S. Sen. Mark Pryor, D-Ark., and others on a Senate subcommittee wanted the facts about the safety of two chemicals used in many consumer products, Pryor said Wednesday.
His comment came during a break in a hearing of the Consumer Affairs, Insurance and Automotive Safety Subcommittee. Pryor presided at the hearing of the subcommittee, which is part of the U. S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation.
Exposure to two types of chemicals widely used in plastic in some consumer products - phthalates and bisphenol-A (BPA ) - pose some risk to consumers, and he will try to use the hearings to find out how great the risk is, Pryor said.
Either of the chemicals might be found in a raincoat, or in a drink container, or in many other items, Pryor said.
The hearing also considered possible alternatives to the chemicals and is looking at government assessments of the toxicity of these chemicals, Pryor said.
Pryor also said that a conference committee's version of the 2008 Farm Bill is good legislation.
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