Zero Waste Europe, CHEMTrust, and HEAL launch website for toxic free food packaging campaign; campaign focuses on the revision of the EU food contact materials law
US taking steps to measure, mitigate PFAS exposure
US Environmental Protection Agency proposes to classify two PFAS as hazardous substances; would obligate manufacturers who released the chemicals into environment to register the release and potentially pay for cleanup; Over 2800 known contaminated sites; National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine suggests doctors test more groups for PFAS exposure; California likely to implement bill to register nearly all products with intentionally added PFAS
Resources on EDCs for endocrinologists and patients
Endocrine Society publishes new resource website with summary videos on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs); provide introduction, overview of links to metabolic diseases, cost effective steps for reducing exposure; more videos to be published in coming months
BPA may cause behavioral problems in children
BPA exposure affected behavior of US children aged 7–9 years in sex-specific manner, pre- and postnatal BPA exposure had opposite effects
Hormonal activity of food contact materials: New research findings from Austria
Polystyrene sample found to be estrogenic and antiandrogenic in two different in vitro assays, other food contact materials’ overall migrate tested positive for estrogenicity in some cases, no final verdict on hormonal active chemicals’ identities
NRDC: Most chemically ‘recycled’ plastics in the US are ultimately burned
Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) evaluates eight chemical recycling facilities in the United States; reports that ‘recycled’ material produced by at least five facilities ultimately gets burned for heat or energy production; six facilities are potentially permitted to release hazardous air pollutants such as benzene, styrene, and arsenic; two US states ease restrictions on chemical recycling facilities
EU Parliament bans certain single-use plastics
European Parliament agrees on measures to ban specific single-use plastics in EU by 2021, sets targets for bottle collection and recycled content, extends producer responsibility and labeling
Meetings on Lautenberg Chemical Safety Act
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency hosts meetings on the revised U.S. chemicals regulation on August 9-12, 2016 in Washington, D.C.
Projects launched to support GHS implementation in Africa
Kenya, Ghana, Cote d’Ivoire, Nigeria, and Rwanda implementing Globally Harmonized System of Classification and Labeling of Chemicals (GHS) in national policy; Sierra Leone and Malawi partner with the UN Environment Program (UNEP) to study chemical and waste management within the countries to design long term policies and projects
France: Second national strategy on EDCs
France publishes second national strategy on endocrine disrupting chemicals; plans creation of EDC list in 2020, followed by education campaigns; calls for tighter and more harmonized EDC regulations EU-wide; allocates funds to support EDC research