US Government Accountability Office (GAO) publishes report for Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to improve oversight of food contact chemicals; recommends the agency request legal authority from Congress to compel companies to provide more information on chemical use and safety as well as systematically track when substances were last reviewed
Phthalates and male fertility
Father’s chemical exposures come under scrutiny in new epigenetic research project
ECHA urged to share ‘strategic information’
ClientEarth report criticizes ECHA’s lack of transparency, requests more information on harmful chemicals in the EU, companies’ compliance, EU’s decision-making processes with regard to chemical safety
EU authorizes new substance in plastic FCMs
European Commission amends EU 10/2011 regulation on plastic food contact materials, authorizes use of poly((R)-3-hydroxybutyrate-co-(R)-3-hydroxyhexanoate) for contact with dry or solid foods
CoE resolution calls for harmonized EU FCM regulation
Council of Europe (CoE) releases resolution on safety and quality of food contact materials (FCMs); calls for harmonization of quality requirements and test procedures for chemicals in FCMs based on technical guides; recommends to implement measures reducing health risks from exposures
EFSA evaluates PET recycling process
EFSA’s CEF Panel considers post-consumer PET recycling process ‘General Plastic’ insufficiently safe for food contact materials
New standardization proposal on reusable plastic tableware for food use
The European Standardisation Committee on Plastics approves new work item proposal on reusable plastic tableware; withstanding five dishwashing cycles set as a new criterion for labeling plastic tableware as reusable
EU Parliament’s draft resolution on plastics
EU Parliament’s Environment Committee publishes draft resolution on EU strategy for plastics in circular economy; deadline for tabling amendments May 3, 2018
Collecting data on endocrine activity
European Commission’s Joint Research Centre launches web-based information system collecting scientific data on chemicals’ endocrine activity
The chemistry of the future is green
Potential and problems of green chemistry discussed at conference hosted by The Guardian