Dutch institute for public health and environment (RIVM) publishes annual report 2016
EU’s Chemicals Strategy plans actions on FCMs
European Commission (EC) publishes Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability; plans to ban PFAS for all non-essential uses, move towards grouping approach for regulation of all chemicals; specific actions for food contact materials (FCM) include extending generic approach to risk management, identifying endocrine disruptors, considering cumulative effects of chemical mixtures
Conference on residues of FCMs in food
Experts discussed future changes in the European legislation on FCMs, summarized state of the art in analytical chemistry and toxicity testing, and introduced novel techniques to measure and reduce chemical migration from FCMs into food
Webinar on analytics for food contact materials
American Chemical Society hosts webinar on analytical methods for food contact substances on April 28, 2016
Public consultation to inform broad EU PFAS restriction
Group of five EU national authorities launch online questionnaire to collect information on the uses and alternatives to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); plan to develop wide-ranging joint restriction proposal on uses of PFAS; information accepted until end of July 2020
EU Member States will evaluate 22 chemicals in 2017
ECHA adopts updated Community Rolling Action Plan for 2017-2019; 22 substances to be evaluated in 2017, of which 7 are relevant for food contact materials
Civil society organizations introduce new certification program for reusable food packaging
Standard aims at improving chemical safety of reusable food contact articles and reducing plastic waste; involves rigorous testing and transparency of ingredients used in the packaging
Bioassays can help to develop safer food packaging
In vitro study assesses hormonal activity of leachates from bio-based polymers used in food packaging; demonstrates integration of toxicity testing in packaging development can help reduce toxicity and design safer bio-based packaging
Perspective: From "forever chemicals" to fluorine-free alternatives
Perspective article in Science argues PFAS substitution is urgently needed due to their persistence, hazards, and recent regulatory actions; avoiding “regrettable substitution” and finding suitable replacements requires a strategic approach; PFAS replacements should have an effective functionality, minimal safety issues, and a minimal environmental footprint; open data sharing can accelerate the discovery, development, and implementation of safer alternatives
Guiding the transition away from bisphenols
AkzoNobel Packaging Coatings publishes white paper outlining history of bisphenol use in can coatings, available alternatives, case studies from regions and industries that have switched away from bisphenols, and vision for the transition in Europe