New study investigates occurrence of photoinitiators in carton board packaging, finds benzophenone present in 50% of samples, surface to mass ratio 6 times higher than in EU legislation
Opinion: TTIP should strengthen chemical safety, not weaken it
European Consumer Organisation recommends excluding chemicals from TTIP negotiations between U.S. and EU due to incompatible approaches to chemicals regulation
Opinion: EDC criteria must be adopted now
European Consumer Organisation calls on EU Commissioner to adopt science-based criteria for endocrine disruptors now and not wait until summer 2016
EU legislation on waste
Council of the European Union and EU Parliament provisionally agree on EU Commission’s proposals for revision of EU waste legislation; introduce new binding targets for packaging waste recycling, define requirements for extended producer responsibility
Cut-off values for data on chemicals in food
EFSA publishes step-wise approach to selecting cut-off values for non-quantified/non-detected data to reduce uncertainty in dietary exposure assessments
DEHP and neurodevelopment
Systematic review of di-(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate finds DEHP exposure affects intelligence quotient, psychomotor development
Scientists worried about chemical harms address German ministers
Over fifty experts researching the health effects of chemical exposures sign letter to German authorities expressing concerns about recent actions concerning bisphenol regulation in Europe; encourage resubmission of bisphenol restriction proposal and for the country to once again take the lead on regulatory action regarding endocrine disrupting chemicals in Europe
Extending the use of bioplastics in food packaging
New study reviews the application of bioplastics in food packaging: coating, blending and chemical/physical modification can improve functionality, migration issues still to be resolved
Conference on food contact materials
Luxembourg’s Ministry of Health organises food contact materials conference as part of its Presidency of the Council of the European Union; registration now open
BPA in recycled PET
Scientists detect high levels of bisphenol A in recycled polyethylene terephthalate, suggest monitoring BPA in rPET necessary to support ‘BPA-free’ claims