Environment Committee of EU Parliament rejects EU Commission’s proposal to allow up to 2% lead by weight in recycled polyvinylchloride (PVC); see increased levels as unsafe and unnecessary given available PVC alternatives, argue recycling should not justify continued use of hazardous substances
EFSA: Communicating uncertainty
European Food Safety Authority publishes guidance on communicating uncertainty to complement previously published guidance on uncertainty analysis in scientific assessments
EFSA BPA re-evaluation: 11th meeting
EFSA CEP Panel publishes minutes of the 11th meeting of its working group on bisphenol A safety re-evaluation; experts discuss draft technical report of pilot phase, review results from ongoing evaluation of papers, identify need for expertise in toxicokinetic modeling
Can chemicals lead to weight gain?
Podcast highlights role of obesogenic chemicals in obesity epidemic with leading scientist in the field; other academics remain skeptical of impact of obesogens
Webinar on metabolic disruptors
Prof. Dr. Bruce Blumberg discusses chemicals that can interfere with the body’s fat metabolism in webinar hosted by Collaborative on Health and the Environment (CHE) on March 21, 2018
Italy to delay new plastics tax until 2021
Tax on non-recyclable plastics originally set to come into effect on July 1, 2020; delay until January 1, 2021 estimated to cost the government €140 million worth of tax revenue; enacted in response to COVID-19 pandemic
Assessing low-dose toxicity of EDCs
New report by the National Academies of Sciences presents strategy to evaluate low-dose effects of endocrine active substances, provides systematic reviews for phthalates and PBDEs
New U.S. chemicals regulation explained
Ensia article outlines the scope of the updated Toxic Substances Control Act, as amended by the Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act in June 2016
ECHA adds four new SVHCs to candidate list
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) identifies four new substances of very high concern (SVHCs) set to be phased-out; two are food contact chemicals including 1-vinylimidazole and 2-methylimidazole
Loop launches in the U.S.
Circular packaging platform launches in the mid-Atlantic region of the U.S., announces Kroger and Walgreens as first retail partners and aims to expand to further regions