U.S. EPA updates Toxic Substances Control Act inventory, flags over 45 thousand chemicals set to be labeled as not anymore in commerce; webinar on March 15 to explain notification process for manufactures and importers
Gaps in FCM regulation
Extensive article informs about gaps in FCM regulation in the EU, hazardous substances found in FCMs, and efforts made by regulators, industry, and non-profit organizations to improve the situation
2021 FPF Workshop: Understanding supply chains and improving policies
On the second day of the Food Packaging Forum’s annual workshop, speakers discuss the investments necessary to understand complex food and packaging supply chains and the benefits of taking the time to do so; assessing plastic circularity through a more honest assessment of the post-consumer life of plastics; the ongoing work of European Commission’s food contact materials policy revision
REACH should regulate hazardous chemicals in groups
Swedish Member of Parliament makes a motion calling for the grouping of chemicals with structural similarity
EC publishes BPA roadmap
DG SANTE releases roadmap on new measures on BPA in FCMs; different options from no policy change to EU-wide ban on BPA in FCMs discussed and assessed
Nanomaterials in waste streams
Non-profit organizations call for better control of manufactured nanomaterials in waste streams in declaration with over 80 signatories worldwide
French retailers restrict mineral oils in food
Six French retailers set limit values for MOSH and MOAH in their own-brand food products
BfR statement on bamboo cups and tableware
German institute for risk assessment publishes position statement on melamine-formaldehyde resins, including tableware made with bamboo fibers; warns consumers against using such tableware with hot liquids; recommends lowering specific migration limit of formaldehyde in EU regulation from 15 to 6 mg/kg
Majority of plastic food contact articles likely endocrine and metabolism disrupting
Two studies investigating chemicals from retail plastic food contact articles find considerable variability in complexity, with subsequent effects on cell-based tests of hormone disruption; many more chemicals measured from PVC and polyurethane than other polymers though the chemical mixtures from majority of the plastic samples are hormone disrupting; further evidence of PVC and PUR can interfere with GPCR-based cell communication
Virginia bans polystyrene and single-use plastics
US state governor passes legislation banning polystyrene foam food packaging partially by 2023 and fully by 2025; sets penalty of $50 a day, civil organizations to be exempted; signed executive order regulating phase-out of non-reusable plastics from public institutions by July 21, 2021