News Article

EU Council adopts single-use plastic bans

European Council formally adopts new rules on single-use plastics and recycling targets; directive completes final step before becoming law; England to ban plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds from April 2020

News Article

EFSA: Updated risk assessment of five phthalates

European Food Safety Authority publishes updated risk assessment for the phthalates DBP, BBP, DEHP, DINP, DIDP; retains developed group and individual tolerable daily intake limits; finds no current public health concern but cautions that values set are temporary due to uncertainties

News Article

Commentary on microplastics as a vector for chemical transport

Scientists respond to perspective article providing clarifications on plastic-driven long-range environmental transport (LRET) of chemical additives; discuss nine shortcomings of the perspective; suggest omitting the perspective article in discussions on plastic debris-associated LRET of additives

News Article

Opinion: FDA reviews needed

Survey finds consumers increasingly value safety and transparency in their food; Tom Neltner argues that meeting these demands necessitates FDA review of all food product ingredients

News Article

NGO recommendations for sustainable chemistry

Position paper by several international NGOs calls for stronger definition of sustainable chemistry, phase-out of hazardous chemicals, internalization of pollution costs, full disclosure of chemical ingredients

Events

Food Contact Materials: A road map to improved safety testing

Jane Muncke form the Food Packaging Forum talks about the new study, “A vision for safer food contact materials: Public health concerns as drivers for improved testing.” The study proposes a concept for improved testing of food contact materials and the chemicals used to make those materials.

News Article

Documents suggest plastic recycling never intended to work

EcoWatch article presents evidence that manufacturers knew since 1970s that plastic recycling is not viable economically; recent survey finds only 1/3 of UK food product packaging locally recyclable; manufacturer singles out PET as way forward towards circular economy