Aug 27, 2008 9:24 pm US/Pacific
Calif. Assembly OKs Ban On Chemical In Food Wraps
SACRAMENTO (AP) ―
The California Assembly has reversed itself and approved a bill that would limit the amount of a chemical that has been linked to cancer and is used in food packaging.
The measure by Sen. Ellen Corbett, a Democrat from San Leandro, would allow no more than 10 parts per billion of a compound known as PFOA in fast-food wrappers, pizza boxes, beverage containers and other food packaging.
The Environmental Protection Agency considers PFOA potentially carcinogenic and says businesses should voluntarily stop using it by 2015.
A Corbett spokeswoman said the bill would make California the first state to essentially ban use of the compound in food containers.
Ten parts per billion is the smallest amount of PFOA that can be detected by tests.
The Assembly rejected the bill last week, but lawmakers reconsidered after Corbett agreed to make a minor amendment.
Wednesday's 42-29 vote returned the bill to the Senate for a vote on Assembly amendments.
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