Environmental law organization finds EU laws on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) lag behind current science, proposes specific policy and process changes to address gaps; recommends implementing REACH restrictions on all identified EDCs, automatic regulatory consequences to reduce all sources of exposure
EU Farm to Fork Strategy announces timeline for FCM revisions
European Commission publishes strategy aiming to change how Europeans value food sustainability; confirms that current EU regulations on food contact materials (FCMs) will be revised to reduce use of hazardous chemicals and support re-usable packaging solutions; proposed revision to be released end of 2022
Study ignores other risk factors for preterm births
ACC responds to study linking phthalate exposure to preterm births, criticizes exclusion of other risk factors and limited sample size
Behind the Label
Environmental Defense Fund initiative Behind the Label supports businesses to remove chemicals of concern from consumer products
Analysis of properties of nanoclay platelets in FCM
Physical and toxicological properties of nanoclay platelets in polyactic acid (PLA) food contact materials
ToxCast assays need improving
New study shows the ability of ToxCast assays to predict obesogens is unreliable; senior researcher comments on features in need of improvement
ECHA to develop positive list for drinking water contact
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) tasked with creating list of substances approved for use in materials that contact drinking water; first draft expected to contain 1,500 substances, be adopted by 2024; substance approval will be time limited and subject to reassessment
PEF: New food contact polymer on the horizon
Polyethylene furanoate (PEF) set to take PET market share, approval for food contact use pending
Opinion: European expert groups over-represent corporate interests
Non-governmental organizations call upon European Commission President to revise expert group composition
Opinion: Plastics are not the culprit of reduced fecundity
Forbes publishes an op-ed article on BPA, phthalates and reduced fecundity; journalist opposes sensationalist media hype and points to weaknesses of new epidemiological study