German MEP hosts event to discuss chemical recycling; regulatory and industry experts highlight its potential for plastics, caution stakeholders regarding open uncertainties and its appropriate use to meet recycling targets
European Parliament supports TTIP deal
European Parliament approves resolution on TTIP negotiations; NGOs express concern over chemical safety and point out influence of industry
Recycling challenges for McDonald’s paper straws
Restaurant chain working with waste management providers in the UK and Ireland to improve recycling of its paper straws; paper thickness initially causing recycling complications, straws being treated temporarily with general waste until solution found
New method to identify set-off migration of printing inks
New method allows identifying migration of photoinitiators, certain photoinitiators and darker colors are more susceptible to set-off migration
Oligomers in polyester coatings for metal cans
Scientists characterize and quantify monomers and oligomers migrating from different polyester coatings, find migration into real foods compared to food simulants, question predictability of standard migration procedure
Microbiome and chemical risk assessment
U.S. National Academy of Sciences’ report outlines research strategy to assess the need for chemical risk assessments to consider interactions between chemicals and microbiota when estimating human health effects
Exposure risks of nanomaterials not sufficiently understood
Environmental Health Perspectives reviews work of Nano GO consortium, need to develop reliable assays and methods for engineered nanomaterials
Endocrine disruption and the next generation of chemicals
Chemists, toxicologists collaborate to develop safer chemicals by compiling a Tiered Protocol for Endocrine Disruption (TiPED) testing, published in the Green Chemistry journal. Their goal is to eliminate the hazard of endocrine disruption, rather than attempting to control exposures as current approaches do. Certainty on absence of endocrine disruption currently can only be achieved with whole organism experiments, according to the authors.
Environmental exposures and diabetes
Scientists find parabens, bisphenols, benzophenone exposure associated with increased diabetes risk; review discusses potential mechanisms involved
Consumers want safe BPA-free coatings
New York Times reports on BPA replacements for can coatings, why alternatives are not readily available and ongoing scientific dispute about BPA’s safety