China’s National Health Commission publishes new standard for food contact adhesives, effective February 2025; also publishes food safety standards development plan for 2024 including three pertaining to food contact chemical migration; evaluation of food contact plastics recycling may also come this year
Nanomaterials regulation in different countries
New JRC-study reviews regulatory measures for nanotechnology in food and feed production in different countries; only EU and Switzerland have legally binding nano-specific provisions
Glass packaging conference
Industry conference on glass packaging – ‘Glass Pack 2017’ – to take place on June 8, 2017; registration open until May 31, 2017
Special issue on EDCs and behavior
Special issue of peer-reviewed journal Hormones and Behavior focuses on endocrine disrupting chemicals’ effects on behavior; articles address molecular mechanisms, animal studies and epidemiological observations, discuss specific chemicals including BPA, triclosan, PBDEs, PFASs
Stakeholders pressure EU Commission on chemicals strategy
Corporate European Observatory concerned lobbying from chemical manufacturers will convince authorities to weaken ambition for reforms; EU member states send letter to Commission calling for long-term strategy for toxic-free circular economy; public petition launched calling for Commission to live up to its own commitments
Scientists reach consensus on EDCs
Scientists agree that potency should not be included in the EU’s criteria for EDCs; NGOs call on European Commission to adopt scientific consensus and release EDC criteria promptly
EU conference on chemicals policy 2030
European Commission hosts multi-stakeholder conference on chemicals policy; discusses setting criteria for green and sustainable chemistry, chemicals in the circular economy, and fair competition from foreign manufacturers
GRAS: Financial conflicts of interest ubiquitous
New study investigates conflicts of interest in GRAS determinations of food additives, no independent expert panels
NGO calls out top 12 PFAS producers
ChemSec reports on societal costs of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution; estimates costs of 16 trillion euros per year; says producers and investors need to take responsibility
Monitoring contaminants during recycling
Scientists present sensor technology for detection of organic and inorganic contaminants in real-time during processing of recycled plastics; validate with PET recycling process