Technical regulation sets specific migration limits for lead and cadmium from glass and ceramic food contact materials (FCMs); provides guides on which products are within scope, limits vary with article type and size
GUTS model adapted to chemical mixtures
Study in Environmental Science Technology on adapted General Unified Threshold model for Survival (GUTS) for environmental risk assessment of chemical mixtures; includes time dimension, approach can be extended to multiple compounds, evaluate synergistic or additive interaction
Call to consider persistence as CLP hazard class
Global PFAS Science Council comments on proposed revision of European Union classification, labeling and packaging (CLP) regulation; calls for the CLP to “introduce persistence as a stand-alone hazard classification”
French order on food contact rubber
France publishes new Order on food contact rubber and pacifiers for infants and toddlers; updates lists of authorized substances, their specifications, restrictions; law enters into force on July 1, 2021
Study finds sex-specific impacts of prenatal phthalate exposure
Taiwanese cohort study examines prenatal phthalate exposure effects on infant birth weight and gestational age; reports higher impact on male neonates
New Horizon 2020 projects to research impacts of micro- and nanoplastics
CUSP cluster launches with five research projects supported by €30 million in EU funding; aims to investigate complex relationships between micro- and nanoplastics and human health over the next five years; Food Packaging Forum collaborates within the AURORA project focused on early-life health
ECHA tasked with defining hazard classes for CLP regulation
European Commission, following its Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, tasks ECHA with defining hazard classes for revision of the classification, labeling and packaging of substances and mixtures (CLP) regulation; to include persistent, mobile, and toxic (PMT) chemicals, endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), and various classifications of toxicity
CARACAL meeting on pre-registration of polymers
EU competent authorities for REACH and CLP (CARACAL) members debate merits of mandatory pre-registration of polymers under REACH; several EU member states voice support for pre-registration; discussion to continue in 2021
EU Member States endorse 8th Environmental Action Program
Council of the EU announces member states endorsement of recently completed negotiations on the 8th Environmental Action Program (EAP); EAP will guide EU climate and environmental policy until 2030; priority objectives include decreasing the EU’s material and consumption footprints
ECHA reviews chemical recycling technologies
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) identifies current lack of information on chemical recycling’s ability to manage and remove chemicals of concern; recommends each technology is reviewed separately for potential conflicts with current chemicals and product safety regulations; calls for on-site studies at recycling facilities