German Environment Agency (UBA) examines REACH registration dossiers for medium tonnage band chemicals, finds 24% are non-compliant and 31% are too complex to determine compliance, concludes that dossier improvements may be needed
European Commission hosts workshop to contribute to substitution planning
Report from workshop on “strengthening the role of substitution planning” finds consensus and sticking points on road to REACH revision; broad consensus that industry should be responsible for creating the substitution plans but disagreements on how to assess the plan and monitor implementation; study on substitution planning to be published by the end of 2024
ECHA calls for comments on chlorinated paraffins
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) seeks information on manufacture, use, exposure, environmental release of chlorinated alkanes to inform restriction proposal; comments accepted until December 15, 2020
UK environment committee calls for bottle deposit system
Environmental Audit Committee of UK parliament demands nation-wide plastic bottle deposit return scheme, more access to free drinking water, increased packaging producer responsibility, and 50% recycled content in plastic bottles
Chemical Hazard Data Commons
U.S. NGO Healthy Building Network launches free online resource Chemical Hazard Data Commons aggregating hazard determinations for over 85 000 substances, aimed to facilitate substitution of hazardous chemicals
EU environment committee supports draft BPA regulation
EU Parliament’s Environment Committee votes in favor of EU Commission’s draft regulation on bisphenol A in food contact materials
EDCs: Sweden vs. European Commission
Sweden’s case against the European Commission for delaying the setting of EDC criteria: Hearing at European Court of Justice in Luxembourg
FPF comments on integration of essential use concept
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) provides comments following a European Commission stakeholder consultation workshop on the essential use concept (ESU); finds integration of an ESU in EU’s food contact materials (FCM) regulation increases FCM safety by allowing easier and more efficient management of harmful chemicals; recommends integrating ESU into EU FCM regulations during current revision process
EC publishes working documents on EDC fitness check
European Commission (EC) publishes set of staff working documents detailing outcomes of the fitness check on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs); recommends simplifications, moving towards single assessment approach, applying data generated within other legislation to food contact materials, considering mixtures
FPF comments on EU’s Circular Economy roadmap
The Food Packaging Forum shared its perspective on the European Commission’s roadmap for the Circular Economy Action Plan; key consideration should be given to chemical safety in reused, recycled and biodegradable materials especially if intended for food contact