European Commission adopts EU-wide strategy for plastics in the circular economy, aims to make all plastic packaging recyclable, reduce single-use plastics, ban intentional microplastics
Competitive advantages of sustainable packaging
Opinion article highlights growing demand for sustainable packaging and opportunities for consumer packaged goods industry
Food cans, printing inks identified as priority products
U.S. state of Washington identifies food cans as priority products under its safer products program for being a significant source of bisphenols, highlighted as major concern for human exposure and volume used; printing inks also included as source of polychlorinated biphenyls
Chinese consultation on five food contact substances
China’s National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment calls for comments on five food contact substances; includes glass fiber, polymeric substances for use in paper, coatings
Rigid polyolefin recycling capacity in Europe
Plastic Recyclers Europe reports 1.7 million tons of installed recycling capacity for the waste stream, packaging still the largest use
FDA adds 7 substances to food contact inventory
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds seven new entries to its Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substance (FCS) Notifications since July 2020
Urinary Bisphenol A levels in pregnant women linked to reduced thyroid stimulating hormone in newborn boys
A study investigating the association of maternal Bisphenol A levels with maternal and neonatal thyroid hormone levels finds an association between maternal urinary BPA and thyroid stimulating hormone levels in male neonates.
Meetings on impact assessment to identify EDC criteria
EU Commission’s DG Sante to hold two roundtables on EDCs in April and May 2015 with Member States and MEPs respectively
EFSA assesses liquid absorber for use in FCMs
EFSA’s CEP Panel considers polyacrylic acid, sodium salt, cross‐linked safe for use in plastic food contact materials under certain conditions and for indirect food contact only
Opinions: EDC criteria without potency cut-offs
Group of international scientists and non-profit organization speak out against including potency considerations in the criteria to identify EDCs on EU-level