European Environmental Bureau (EEB) analysis finds that it takes the EU two decades to regulate a chemical from start to finish; bottlenecks include industry submitting incomplete information, over-analysis by EU regulators, and the European Commission taking longer to decide about a Scientific Opinion than ECHA takes to draft it
Scientists propose and apply NIAS identification approaches
Review provides guidance to select analytical technique for non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) identification and quantification in food contact materials (FCMs); scientific studies analyze NIAS migrating from FCMs; develop model to predict collision cross-section values to identify NIAS in FCMs; detect polyethylene terephthalate (PET) oligomers in post-mortem blood samples
Reducing exposure to PFOA
Article informs about presence of PFOA in consumer products and highlights ways to reduce exposure from food contact materials
New research on chemical migration from plastic, paper, can coating, and reusables
Recent reports investigate whitening agents’ migration from disposable plastic containers; characterize 153 chemicals migrating from paper packaging and show estimated dietary exposure for children to per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) exceed safety threshold; detect brominated flame retardants in repeat-use food contact articles; review metal can coating literature concerning coatings types, chemical migrants, detection methods, dietary exposure, and regulatory
Summary on estrogenic chemicals and reproductive health
PLOS Biology article highlights reproductive health impacts of estrogenic chemicals such as bisphenol A, its analogues, and phthalates
U.S. hearing on international cancer research agency
U.S. Congress hearing on International Agency on the Research for Cancer addresses future funding; critics question agency’s scientific integrity; defenders talk of industry-lead campaign to discredit IARC’s monographs on carcinogens program
No vote on EDC criteria yet
No formal vote on proposed EDC criteria took place during latest SC-PAFF meeting; Commission likely to re-draft proposals due to wide disagreement among stakeholders
Denmark limits fluorocarbons in food packaging
Danish Minister of the Environment and Food recommends lowered limit for fluorocarbons in food contact materials
Reprotoxic chemicals in food contact articles: The case of surfynol
Learn more about food contact chemical surfynol and its reprotoxic properties with guest speaker from the University of Zaragoza
Overview article on microplastics in fish
Mother Jones article investigates the history of microplastic contamination in the oceans, introduces recent scientific findings showing migration of microplastics from fish’s gut into organs and flesh