Cincinati Enquirer, "Butter-chemical bill unveiled; Lawmakers hope to force OSHA to act on Diacetyl Dangers"

Frustrated with what they say is foot-dragging by the Bush administration, 14 Democratic members of Congress have introduced a bill aimed at lessening worker exposure to a potentially deadly chemical used to make butter flavorings. The chemical, called diacetyl, replicates the flavor of butter in popcorn and other foods and was the subject of a May 27 Enquirer article. It is not banned, and no exposure limits have been set in production plants, but lawmakers, unions and occupational-health experts have called for establishment of controls on diacetyl.

Although a medical link has not been proved, diacetyl is alleged in private lawsuits to have caused severe respiratory damage in hundreds of flavor- and popcorn-factory workers. The widow of a former worker at Givaudan Flavors Corp. in Carthage claims in a lawsuit that diacetyl killed her husband in 2006. U.S. Rep. Lynn Woolsey, D-Calif., proposed the bill Wednesday. She accused the U.S. Occupational Safety and Health Administration of failing to limit worker exposure. "OSHA has known about this hazard for years and has yet to take the necessary steps to address it," Woolsey said in a statement. "Since the administration has no intention of taking action on its own to protect workers, we will force them to act and hold them accountable on behalf of the workers."

Learn more about diacetyl butter flavoring dangers and lawsuits.