European Environmental Bureau (EEB) analysis finds that it takes the EU two decades to regulate a chemical from start to finish; bottlenecks include industry submitting incomplete information, over-analysis by EU regulators, and the European Commission taking longer to decide about a Scientific Opinion than ECHA takes to draft it
SIN list highlights FCM chemicals
New feature allowing to filter for FCM-relevant chemicals has been added to the SIN List of hazardous substances maintained by the International Chemical Secretariat
Five EU Member States register intention to restrict PFAS
Germany, Denmark, Netherlands, Norway, and Sweden jointly inform the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) of their intention to submit a REACH restriction dossier on PFAS in 2022; stakeholders can contribute information to inform the dossier’s development until September 19, 2021
ECHA considers placing 7 substances on authorization list
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) launches public consultation to collect additional information on substances of very high concern (SVHCs); 6 are food contact chemicals, including dicyclohexyl phthalate (DCHP)
ECHA ‘maps’ REACH chemicals
European Chemicals Agency publishes ‘map of chemical universe’ assigning over 21’000 REACH-registered chemicals into regulatory action-based ‘pools’; the majority (86%) not yet evaluated
Web resource for nanotechnology in Switzerland
Pilot website with nanomaterials-related information launched in Switzerland
Overview of intentionally used food contact chemicals and their hazards
EFSA working group updates in November 2020 to March 2021
Minutes from recent meetings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) CEP panel and working groups on bisphenol A (BPA), food contact materials (FCMs), recycling plastics, and phthalates published; groups continue discussions and revisions of draft opinions; new working group on re-evaluation of phthalates and structurally similar substances in FCMs launched
PlastChem report synthesizes current science on plastic chemicals
Report maps scientific data on more than 16,000 plastic chemicals; finds gaps in current governance and knowledge that prevent effective management; recommends policy actions based on current state-of-the-science
EU Parliament adopts general food law revisions
European Parliament votes to accept proposed regulatory changes to improve transparency; measures include speed-up of EFSA processes, common register of studies, criteria for confidential business information