Annie’s Homegrown tells stakeholders it is working to eliminate all ortho-phthalates present in food processing equipment and packaging; announces its product phthalate levels are below European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) limits; identifies phthalates issue as widespread, complex, affecting whole supply chain
Update: Circular Plastic Alliance delivers first actions
European Commission (EC) announces first delivered actions of its Circular Plastics Alliance; identifies 19 priority plastic products, current overview of European waste sorting and collection
Study finds EU guidance could help identify other EDCs
Scientists from Danish Technical University (DTU) assess butylparaben according to EU guidance for assessment of pesticides; find that approach positively identifies butylparaben as endocrine disrupting chemical (EDC) even with different data availability; suggest guidance could be applied to wide range of chemicals to identify other EDCs
Scientists detect microplastics in amniotic fluid, effects on testicular aging
Two studies investigate microplastic presence or effects in female and male reproductive organs; small cohort study finds low number of microplastics to be present in human amniotic fluid besides the placenta; in vitro and mice in vivo study reports microplastics induce premature testicular aging and identifies underlying pathways
Plastic Food Packaging: State of the Science on Chemical Constituents and Hazards
Learn more about the Database of Chemicals associated with Plastic Packaging (CPPdb) and the AAP‘s statement on food additives and child health
New NIAS detected in polyester-phenolic can coating extracts
Scientists analyze non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) extracted from six model polyester-phenolic can coatings; identify cyclic polyester oligomers and new aldehydes
ECHA assesses regulatory needs of phthalates as a group
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publishes assessment of regulatory needs for groups of chemicals including ortho-phthalates; concludes that all phthalates with C4-C6 carbon backbones and similar substances are likely reproductive toxicants and endocrine disruptors; suggests regulation as a group
United States creating national plastic pollution strategy
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes draft national strategy to prevent plastic pollution; outlines goals to reduce pollution during plastic production, improve recycling/reuse, and remove microplastics from waterways
Non-monotonicity in risk assessment context
New study develops decision tree for assessing the strength of non-monotonic dose-response relationships
Report questions viability and environmental benefits of plastic chemical recycling
Report commissioned by the Swiss Federal Office for the Environment (FOEN) reviews chemical recycling of plastic waste; finds the technical feasibility, environmental benefits, and economic viability of the technology are not sufficiently demonstrated; excessive subsidies or investments may lock-in environmentally unfavorable processes and infrastructure