U.S. retailer Walmart names 8 high priority chemicals its suppliers must phase out and find alternatives for; list includes among others formaldehyde, phthalates, nonylphenol exthoxylates, and parabens
EU court ruling on SVHCs in articles
European Court of Justice ruling requires notification of every article incorporated in a complex product when containing SVHCs above 0.1%; ECHA updates guidance
Recycling ocean bound HDPE for food contact
U.S. Food and Drug Administration issues letter of non-objection to Envision Plastics for use of recycled high density polyethylene waste plastic collected from rivers in food contact articles
Workshop and webinar on Polymark project
EU research project Polymark presents new polymer sorting technology in workshop to take place on March 15, 2017 in Brussels
Pre-consumer and recycled plastic pellets contain hazardous substances
International Pollution Elimination Network and partners publish two studies investigating toxic substances in plastic pellets; virgin plastic pellets recovered from beaches on six continents all contain polychlorinated biphenyls (PCBs) and endocrine-disrupting UV stabilizers; over half of the samples of recycled high-density polyethylene (HDPE) pellets contain at least 11 out of 18 flame retardants and UV stabilizers assessed
Many questions surround microplastics, what about micro(bio)plastics?
Literature review of micro- and nano(bio)plastics research; scrutinizes the complexities of micro- and nano(bio)plastics degradation and their toxicological effects; highlights gaps in long-term impact studies and interactions with environmental conditions; challenges the assumption that “biodegradable” means complete degradation; calls for greater transparency in research practices to bolster collective understanding
Modeling of migration from LDPE
Scientists determine key parameters for modeling migration of benzophenone and several other contaminants from low density polyethylene into food simulants and foodstuffs; propose revision of worst-case scenario values
ECHA: Public consultation on 7 potential SVHCs
ECHA opens public consultation on 7 proposals for new substances of very high concern from August 31 to October 14, 2015; proposals include phthalate used in FCMs and UV-filters permitted in packaging inks
Focus on persistent and mobile chemicals
Scientists call for more research and regulation regarding ‘mobile’ chemicals, as these pose high risk to aquatic environment and drinking water quality
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