House Bill 9147 would ban single-use plastic tableware within four years and drinking straws, stirrers, candy sticks, bags thinner than ten microns, and other small single-use plastics within one year; bill must now pass the country’s Senate in order to become law
12th BioDetectors Conference 2019
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
EFSA publishes hazard assessment protocol for reevaluation of FCM plasticizers
European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) protocol outlines strategy for collecting data and appraising evidence for hazard assessment of phthalates and other plasticizers in food contact materials (FCMs); latest step in agency’s reevaluation of risks to public health
344 volatile organic compounds in paperboard, new study
17 uncoated food contact paperboard samples from Chinese companies studied; 344 volatile organic compounds detected including aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, ethers, esters, alkanes, and aromatic compounds plus 66 key odor compounds; 5 substances highlighted
Scientific studies evaluate microplastic effects on human cells
Rapid review assesses microplastics impacts on human cells and reports thresholds of effects lower than previously predicted; scientific study finds polystyrene (PS) microplastics to have nephrotoxic potential; reproduction and fertility study with mice reports PS microplastics to affect females more than males
Switzerland updates federal law on food contact materials and articles
Removes list of unevaluated substances used in packaging inks; updates positive lists of for packaging inks, plastics, and silicones; brings ceramic and glass regulations in alignment with EU
Six FCCs including melamine and bisphenol S added to SVHC candidate list
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) adds nine chemicals to the Candidate List of substances of very high concern (SVHC); six have been listed for intentional use or measured in food contact articles; listing obligates producers and suppliers to provide safety information and to notify ECHA; candidate list now contains 233 substances
India plans to test FCMs for BPA
Government authority announces planned survey of food contact materials (FCMs) to test for presence of bisphenol A (BPA); results to be used to develop regulatory framework including maximum allowable content, leaching limits, tolerable daily intake
Migration vs. solubility
New scientific study finds that in certain cases migration studies can be substituted by solubility measurements; modified OECD method shows solubility of select antioxidants, UV stabilizers in some food simulants is below SMLs