Following testing in three stores in Switzerland, company plans on expanding testing to additional locations; aims to support reusable and refillable packaging options to meet 2025 packaging commitments
Etienne Cabane
Scientific Officer and Scorecard Lead
UK supermarket coalition co-developing refill system
Four UK supermarket chains announce they are partnering to create a single food refill system that works across all their stores and delivery platforms; want to reduce single-use plastic packaging; details and trial locations to be announced later in 2022
US CDC releases updated biomonitoring data
New set of data tables from US Centers for Disease Control (CDC) published in four volumes; includes human exposure data for persistent organic pollutants, pesticides, and a focus on exposures of adult cigarette smokers; over 70 new chemicals measured including per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Wrestling with the externalities of the plastics supply chain
As the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee of the UN Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution approaches, publications highlight the diverse effects the plastics supply chain has on human health and the environment, particularly the burden on vulnerable communities
Evaluation of EU's chemical policies delayed
Open letter by 27 NGOs urges EU Commission to publish outcome of fitness evaluation of EU’s non-REACH chemical policies ahead of major conference, requests clarification of timelines to deliver strategy for non-toxic environment
EU sets ground rules for ‘essential use’ of hazardous chemicals
European Commission adopts guiding criteria for determining the ‘essential use’ of harmful chemicals, emphasizing that their use is justified only when necessary for health, safety, or crucial societal functions with no alternatives; essential use is not legally binding until incorporated into regulation
BPA exposure linked to oxidative stress
New study links BPA exposure in pregnancy to oxidative stress in mother and offspring, similar findings in both human association study and animals testing study
Effects of BPA and phthalates on fetal growth
New study finds correlation between prenatal exposure to two phthalate metabolites and certain fetal growth parameters; overall little evidence of associations of BPA or phthalate exposure with fetal growth
China issues national standard for bio-materials
Sets definitions for 58 terms including “plastic”, “biodegradable plastic”, “composite”, and “polymer”; also defines process to mark and identify biobased materials; standard to become effective on June 1, 2021