EU Advocate General advises the General Court to reject the primary argument of PlasticsEurope in its case against the European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) identification of bisphenol A (BPA) as a substance of very high concern (SVHC); Advocate General calls the argument “in its entirety as unfounded”; this appeal is based on the classification as an environmental endocrine disruptor
Safe and Sustainable by Design: 1st EU stakeholder workshop
European Commission holds workshop with stakeholders to discuss criteria for chemicals that are Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD); implementation of EU’s Chemical Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) will depend on clear and implementable criteria for SSbD, amongst other central pillars such as essential use and generic risk assessment
ECHA assesses regulatory needs of phthalates as a group
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publishes assessment of regulatory needs for groups of chemicals including ortho-phthalates; concludes that all phthalates with C4-C6 carbon backbones and similar substances are likely reproductive toxicants and endocrine disruptors; suggests regulation as a group
Report on residential access to recycling in the US
Sustainable Packaging Coalition publishes updated report on the availability of residential recycling in the United States for 32 types of packaging materials; steel food cans, aluminum beverage cans, corrugated cardboard, paperboard, polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) bottles accepted by > 84% of facilities surveyed; foil and rigid polystyrene (PS) had fewest recycling options; access to recycling declined since 2016
First proposals put forward for global treaty to end plastic pollution
Countries are submitting proposals to the UN Environment Program to guide Plastics Treaty development; US proposes treaty focus on downstream effects – reuse and recycling; proposal from 40-nation ‘high ambition coalition’ proposes setting up limits on polymer production, eliminating certain polymers and products; over 60 proposals received so far; stakeholder registration is open for the next negotiating meeting for the Plastics Treaty in Paris, France in May 2023
EU environment committee votes on plastics strategy
EU Parliament’s Environment Committee supports EU Commission’s overall plans for plastics in circular economy, suggests further measures on microplastics, single-use plastics, hazardous chemicals
BPA health costs at $3 billion annually
New study concludes on thousands of preventable cases of childhood obesity and heart disease caused by BPA; economic savings estimated to outweigh costs of replacing BPA
ECHA finds health benefits outweigh costs of REACH restrictions
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) study analyzes costs and benefits of REACH restrictions proposed during 2016-2020; finds public health benefits of €2.1 billion per year outweigh costs of €0.5 billion per year; restrictions protect over seven million EU citizens from cancers, sexual development disorders, asthma, skin allergies; prevents annual release of 100 000 tons of polluting chemicals
Tesco trials packaging-free produce
UK retailer launches trial at two stores to sell 45 produce products without packaging for one month; aims to keep reducing amount of packaging and ensure recyclability
ACC challenges listing DINP under Proposition 65
American Chemistry Council (ACC) submits petition to California’s supreme court challenging listing of diisononyl phthalate (DINP); highest court has at least 60 days to decide on petition and make final ruling