Paper in Resources, Conservation, and Recycling investigates chemical migration from recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE); when recycled milk bottles mixed with non-milk-bottle rHDPE, resulting plastic contaminated with chemicals of concern; rHDPE from well-sorted, decontaminated milk bottles may be clean enough for food contact; octocrylene and octinoxate still migrate at concerning levels, reduction may require further decontamination or changes in manufacturing or legislation
Forum on circular economy in Switzerland
Swiss Recycling to host forum on EU’s circular economy package; discuss status of Switzerland within the field; registration now open
WHO publishes report on EDCs
New report by the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe addresses the risks from exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, recommends actions at the country level
EU court rejects industry appeal on DEHP
EU Court of Justice dismisses industry appeal against ECHA’s identification of DEHP as endocrine disruptor for the environment; case sets precedent for other ongoing suits e.g. on BPA
Repercussions of PFOA at Teflon production site
Article discusses history of PFOA, focusing on environmental and public health effects, legal consequences and regulatory implications
New Jersey bans all carryout bags, polystyrene foam packaging
Legislature for US state of New Jersey passes bill banning both plastic and paper single-use bags, polystyrene foam food containers; plastic straw use to be limited; bill will be signed by governor and enter into force 18 months later
Dope Labs Podcast – PFAS in Food Packaging
Science podcast interviews Justin Boucher from the Food Packaging Forum on PFAS, their use in food packaging, and the regulatory and business changes underway to address increasing global concern about their impacts on health
US EPA reissues PFBS risk assessment
US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) reissues risk assessment on perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS); sets reference doses for chronic exposure of 0.0003 mg/kg body weight/day and sub-chronic exposures of 0.001 mg/kg body weight/day
PFAS in breast milk
Study shows that breast milk is major source of exposure to perfluorinated chemicals for infants; researchers express concern but do not discourage breastfeeding
More retailers take part in annual ranking
Non-profit organization Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families includes 12 new retailers in annual ranking of progress towards eliminating toxic chemicals and using safer alternatives