UK environmental minister identifies the need to address per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as a group, included in response to a letter sent earlier by civil society organizations to UK agencies calling for PFAS restrictions in food packaging
Micro- and nanoplastics are released from different food contact articles
Researchers report cooking in non-stick Teflon cookware may lead to the release of thousands of micro- and nanoplastics; find 3 to 43 plastic particles prone to be released from Chinese polypropylene takeaway containers; detect around 1,500 microplastics/liter in Iranian bottled water; review points out that micro- and nanoplastic detection methods in food need validation and standardization
P&P: Regulatory updates
Global regulatory updates presented at Smithers Pira 2016 P&P conference: final U.S. FDA guidance on FCMs for infant products expected, China updates its FCM regulation
Strict rules under new German packaging law
Germany’s new packaging law establishes mandatory central packaging registry, imposes fines and prohibition in sales for non-compliance
EFSA recycling plastics group: 6th meeting
EFSA’s CEP Panel’s working group on recycling plastics 2018-2021 continues discussing draft scientific opinions on several plastic recycling processes; minutes of the 6th meeting now available online
AOPs in Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment
OECD publishes guidance on the use of Adverse Outcome Pathways (AOPs) in developing Integrated Approaches to Testing and Assessment (IATA); AOPs to support chemical grouping, development of models, test methods, and testing strategies, and interpretation of test results
New infographics on EDCs
Health and Environment Alliance releases infographics on endocrine disrupting chemicals, focuses on the need to accommodate low dose effects and science advances into risk assessment
France bans TiO2 in food
France bans titanium dioxide in food by 2020 following report by ANSES reiterating 2017 recommendation to reduce exposures; EFSA does not see need to open reassessment at the moment
EFSA: Update on HDPE recycling for FCMs
EFSA’s CEF Panel provides additional information as requested by the European Commission on two HDPE recycling processes for use in FCMs
Report on plastic and health
Center for International Environmental Law publishes report about plastic risks across each stage of lifecycle, calls for lifecycle approach during decision making and for a variety of solutions and options