European Chemicals Agency identifies phthalates DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP as having endocrine disrupting properties; these substances already placed on Authorization List for being toxic to reproduction
New standard test method to identify plasticizers
ASTM International publishes method to ensure compliance with US phthalate migration standard
VKM identifies most critical food contaminants to monitor in Norway
Norwegian Scientific Committee for Food and Environment (VKM) provides guidance for risk-based monitoring of chemicals in foods previously identified as a potential concern; includes chemicals from food packaging and processing equipment
EU Commission’s 2nd round table meeting on EDCs
First results of EDC screening expected by autumn 2015; entire impact assessment to be finalized in 2016
EU publishes PFOA regulation
European Commission regulation restricts use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds as a persistent organic pollutants; sets maximum concentration of 0.025 mg/kg for PFOA and salts, 1 mg/kg for related compounds; series of exemptions also in place
Environment MEPs object EDC criteria
European Parliament’s Environment Committee supports objection to EU Commission’s proposal for EDC criteria, highlights unlawful exemptions for compounds with intended endocrine activity, calls on full Parliament to veto criteria proposal
US congressional committee questions FDA about lack of action on phthalates
Letter from the US House Oversight and Reform Committee to the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) asks what steps FDA is taking to evaluate human health effects from, or to ban, phthalates in food packaging and processing materials
UBA: third report on compliance of REACH registrations
German Environment Agency (UBA) examines REACH registration dossiers for medium tonnage band chemicals, finds 24% are non-compliant and 31% are too complex to determine compliance, concludes that dossier improvements may be needed
European Commission hosts workshop to contribute to substitution planning
Report from workshop on “strengthening the role of substitution planning” finds consensus and sticking points on road to REACH revision; broad consensus that industry should be responsible for creating the substitution plans but disagreements on how to assess the plan and monitor implementation; study on substitution planning to be published by the end of 2024
ENVI committee adopts resolution on chemicals strategy
Environment, Public Health and Food Safety (ENVI) Committee of European Parliament passes resolution calling for upcoming chemicals strategy to fully apply precautionary and polluter-pays principles; resulting legislation should address and minimize endocrine disrupting and other hazardous chemicals in products including food packaging and recycled materials