US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejects two citizen petitions from 2016 asking it to remove 28 phthalates from food contact use for safety reasons; grants industry petition to remove 23 phthalates due to abandonment; FDA issues request for information on use and safety information of remaining phthalates; comments accepted until July 19, 2022
Joel Scheuchzer
Communications Officer
A close look at phthalates
Chemical & Engineering News publishes extensive cover story on phthalates; restrictions, alternatives and hormonal activity discussed
Lower PAH concentrations recommended
German Federal Office for Risk Assessment (BfR) recommending polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbon (PAH) concentration of < 0.2 mg/kg in consumer products; criteria to inform voluntary safety standard
UK to introduce bottle deposit system
UK government announces introduction of deposit return scheme for single-use drinks containers made of plastic, glass, metal; planned scheme subject to consultation later in 2018
Review assesses 20 years of food safety research
Integrative review analyzes recent scientific advances in food and environmental safety; scientometric analysis reveals increasing multidisciplinary interest between 2001 and 2020; finds contaminants and environmentally friendly food packaging as emerging research topics in the field of food safety
2nd Safe and Sustainable by Design Stakeholder Workshop
Corporate plastic commitments not expected to meet 2025 targets
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) reports progress, or lack thereof, on corporate packaging commitments set for 2025; plastic pact signatories increased portfolio of recycled, recyclable, or compostable products by 2% between 2019 and 2021; reuse decreased, and virgin plastic use increased; EMF calling for stronger governmental action and support of UN plastic pollution treaty
Colombia launches Plastics Pact while previous Pacts struggle with 2025 targets
Colombia Plastics Pact launches; the second Latin American country to join the Plastics Pact program; reports show UK and US Plastics Pacts are unlikely to hit 2025 goals as total plastic use keeps increasing
MEPs criticize Commission over delayed EDC criteria
Members of the European Parliament submit motion of censure to President of European Parliament; criticize EC’s failure to provide EDC criteria in due time