Plastic Soup Foundation launches “Plastic Health” web series discussing latest scientific evidence; announces publication of expert opinions, interviews on hazards of microplastics, nanoplastics, and additives
Rethink plastic's open letter to EU Commission
Rethink plastic NGO alliance sends open letter to EU Commission, asks for a ‘strong and harmonized EU legislation’ within EU Strategy on Plastics
Dangerous trends impacting on quality of life
Science briefing for policy makers on climate disruption, extinction, ecosystem loss, pollution, and population growth highlights links between all destructive trends, calls for “big picture” perspective in regulatory action on environmental health
New York restaurants oppose ban on plastic foam food packaging
Petition launched by New York City restaurants to reverse ban on plastic foam food packaging; Restaurant Action Alliance and packaging manufacturer sue the city over ban
HEAL report on hazardous chemicals in plastics
Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) publishes overview report on plastic types, additives, and associated health impacts; illustrates life cycle of contained chemicals and resulting exposures; calls for revisions to regulations to be protective, consistent, anticipatory, communicative
FCM regulatory and waste management updates from South and Southeast Asia
Malaysia proposes revision of allowable uses for eleven chemicals, including seven used in food contact material (FCM) applications; Vietnam’s revised Law on Environmental Protection comes into effect, launches nationwide extended producer responsibility scheme for domestic producers and importers; Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives publishes report that chemical recycling plant in Indonesia, launched by Unilever in 2017, was “secretly shuttered” after two years; Sri Lanka proposes plastic pellets be classified as dangerous goods during maritime shipping
Response to BPA roadmap
Health and Environment Alliance submits comments to Commission’s BPA roadmap, recommends banning all bisphenols with endocrine disrupting properties for FCMs
Report advocates for improving chemical recycling LCAs
Rethink Plastic Alliance reviewing four commonly cited life cycle assessments (LCAs) on chemical recycling; report identifies undisclosed data, flawed assumptions, questionable accounting methods; suggests LCAs should not be used for public communication or as the basis for political decision making or investment decisions, should be improved to be “more independent,” “transparent,” “comprehensive”
Maine, U.S. concerned over phthalates
U.S. NGO concerned over risk arising from phthalate exposure in East Coast community, 25 citizens to be biomonitored
Preventing cancer from environmental pollutants: Infographic
Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL) and the European Cancer Leagues publish set of infographics illustrating role environmental pollutants play in causing cancer; call for revisions to EU food contact materials legislation to reduce hazardous chemical exposures