Ellen MacArthur Foundation and IDEO release Circular Design Guide providing design methods in line with circular economy concepts
EFSA assesses new plasticizer for PVC
European Food Safety Authority’s CEP Panel finds trimellitic acid, tris(2-ehtylhexyl) ester safe for use as plasticizer in soft PVC for making single-use wrap films or repeated use tubing
Print-related food contaminants
Identity and set-off assessed for print-related contaminants by three different mass spectrometry methods; most compounds show evidence for set-off
BPA on the list of SVHCs as of 2017
ECHA Member State Committee unanimously agrees on identification of bisphenol A and three other substances as substances of very high concern (SVHCs); substances to be added to SVHC list in January 2017
New Zealand and two Australian states phase out single-use plastics
New Zealand Ministry for the Environment announces plan to ban many hard-to-recycle and single-use plastic items by mid-2025; includes food packaging made from polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and some degradable plastics, plus all drink stirrers, single-use tableware, and fruit labels; Western Australia moves Plan for Plastics ahead 4 years, banning most single-use plasticware by end of 2021; New South Wales to eliminate most single-use plasticware within a year
EFSA evaluates 2 new substances for use in FCMs
Adipic acid dihydrazide and 1,7-octadiene are not of a safety concern for consumers
FDA releases PFAS method, publishes final survey results
U.S. Food and Drug Administration releases validated analytical method to measure 16 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); announces final measurement results from foods sampled within Total Diet Study
12 SVHCs added to REACH authorization list
EU Commission places 12 substances of very high concern on the Authorisation List of the REACH regulation; 3 substances relevant for food contact materials
EFSA publishes scientific opinion on PFAS in food
European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) latest draft opinion proposes group tolerable weekly intake (TWI) limit of 8 ng/kg body weight for 4 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); opens public comment period until April 20, 2020, plans technical workshop in Brussels on March 12, 2020
Unwanted chemicals in canned tuna
Danish consumer council finds BADGE in metal packaging of tuna as well as plasticizers in the metal closure of a tuna glass jar; none of the tested packaging products contained BPA, BPF, or BPS; all tuna fish contained heavy metals, some contained BADGE and one ATBC