General Court of the European Union concludes that the European Commission has breached EU law by failing to define criteria for identification of endocrine disrupting chemicals
ECHA: Guidance on REACH registration of nanomaterials
European Chemicals Agency publishes and updates several guidance documents for REACH registration of nanomaterials
Call for feedback: Streamlining chemical assessments in the EU
European Commission calls for stakeholder comments on an initiative to restructure scientific assessments of chemicals across EU agencies to move towards ‘one substance, one assessment’; feedback period open until April 12, 2022
Washington State regulating chemicals of concern in food packaging
US state of Washington Department of Ecology publishes reports on phenolic compounds (e.g. bisphenols) and PFAS in certain food packaging types triggering countdown until new restrictions; phenolic compounds in drink can coatings to be restricted beginning June 2023; PFAS to be banned in bags and sleeves, bowls, flat serviceware, open-top containers, and closed containers by May 2024
NIAS detection in food packaging materials
Review presents new analytical approaches to identify non-intentionally added substances in food packaging materials
Plastic Health Summit 2021: Urgent need for action on plastics
Scientists, activists, industry and policy makers share findings and future needs that address the plastic pollution crisis; recycling plastics is ineffective strategy; concern over possible health effects of micro- and nanoplastics
Environment MEPs object EDC criteria
European Parliament’s Environment Committee supports objection to EU Commission’s proposal for EDC criteria, highlights unlawful exemptions for compounds with intended endocrine activity, calls on full Parliament to veto criteria proposal
Label for ‘plastic-free’ food packaging
Campaign group introduces product label for ‘plastic-free’ food and drink packaging; retailers Iceland and Ekoplaza, tea brand teapigs to adopt label
From scientific evidence to policy
Journal PLOS Biology publishes special edition on the effects of chemical exposures on public and environmental health; addresses gap between scientific understanding and regulation of chemicals
Nanoparticles in FCMs: Benefits and limitations
Scientists discuss the use of nanoparticles in food packaging materials, focusing on gaps in knowledge on their migration, toxicity, influence on biopolymer degradability