EU Commission to update Authorisation List entries for DEHP, DBP, BBP, DIBP to reflect endocrine disrupting properties; ECHA consults on uses no longer exempted from authorization, such as FCMs, until August 6, 2018
Priorities for future work on food safety
EFSA-commissioned survey of expert opinions identifies 28 priority topics for work on food safety, covering chemical, microbiological and environmental risk assessment, and nutrition
New EU guidance on plastic migration testing forthcoming
Working group shares draft document at EU Commission’s FCM stakeholder meeting
Debating environmental risks of microplastics
Scientists debate the urgency of research and actions on microplastics in the environment, present models to estimate accumulation of plastic debris and contaminants, assess risk of microplastics in the ocean
New EU rules on FCMs must be science based, simpler, and enforced
Food Packaging Forum comments on European Commission’s public consultation on its revision of EU rules on food contact materials (FCMs); stresses the importance of revising the definition of safety and aligning FCM regulations with EU strategies on chemical sustainability and circular economy
Belgium: Regulation on coatings
Belgium passes Royal Decree on varnishes and coatings intended to come into contact with foodstuffs
Formaldehyde and melamine migration from tableware
Italian scientists investigate migration of formaldehyde and melamine from children’s tableware made of melaware and other amino resins; specific and overall migration limits exceeded in some products; aging increases migration; migration cannot be predicted from product’s appearance
Hazards of food contact materials: Food packaging contaminants
Industry opposes update of phthalate authorization
European Plasticisers deems inclusion of endocrine disrupting properties of DEHP, DBP, BBP, DIBP in Authorization List ‘unnecessary overregulation’ that will put ‘excessive burdens’ on industry
Asbestos responsible for higher mortality than car accidents
The New Statesman reports on asbestos industry and its victims; some types of asbestos also authorized for food contact materials in US