New ECETOC report presents step-by-step guidance for identifying endocrine disrupting chemicals; complements EDC guidance developed by ECHA and EFSA and focuses on weight-of-evidence approach
Opinion: EDC decision matrix not suitable
CHEM Trust analyzes “option 4b” to identify EDCs as proposed by German risk assessment institute and considers method as not adequate to set EDC criteria
Two active substances authorized for food contact
EFSA authorizes citric acid and sodium hydrogen carbonate as carbon dioxide generators in food packaging
Third roundtable meeting on endocrine disruptors
EDC roadmap, impact assessment, public consultation and on-going studies discussed by members of the European Commission and Parliament
ECHA survey identifies drivers and barriers of chemical substitution
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publishes report on motivations for companies to substitute hazardous chemicals; greatest drivers found to be regulatory restrictions under REACH, customer demand, internal sustainability strategies
Long-term migration from polyester coating
Scientists analyze long-term migration from polyester can coating, find hydrolysis of oligomers after long storage; modification of testing protocols suggested
California identifies candidate substance groups
Department of Toxic Substances Control announces candidate groups of substances used in food packaging to be priority products under Safe Consumer Products program; includes BPA and alternatives, PFAS, and ortho-phthalates; two additional workshops scheduled in November and January to discuss chemicals, answer open questions
Stakeholders criticize labeling, terminology of plastic packaging
Greenpeace report finds only 53% of all US material recovery facilities accept polypropylene products, argues they should therefore not be labeled and marketed to consumers as recyclable; bottled water association advocates against the term ‘single-use,’ concerned it confuses consumers and limits recycling
Fresenius Conference on EDCs
Fresenius Academy holds 7th International Conference on EDCs; UK regulatory representative and pesticide industry call for inclusion of ‘potency perspective’ in EDC identification criteria; most other country representatives and NGOs in favor of hazard-based identification
Global Food Contact Conference: NIAS evaluation in recycled packaging
2021 Smithers Pira conference covers global developments in food contact regulations and materials including a session on the risk assessment of non-intentionally added substances (NIAS); Marco Zhong outlines efforts China is taking to assess NIAS in recycled and biodegradable materials for safe food contact application; Marinella Vitulli focuses on applied testing schemes for NIAS identification, stresses that the right analytical approach is key