Comprehensive literature review in the journal Food Additives and Contaminants investigates substance migration into dry foods and food simulants; review analyses: foods off store shelves, foods and food simulants in experimental settings, food particle characteristics, and packaging material; finds migration commonly exceeds 50 µg/kg assumed migration rate of dry foods according to the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)
Challenges in finding BPA-replacements
Food and packaging manufacturers need to avoid “regrettable substitutes,” consider chemistry of food and can lining, cost, and supply when developing BPA-free food cans
Science editorial: Persistence of chemicals calls for innovation beyond PFAS
Scientist outlines why chemical persistence makes an update of chemical technology and traditional chemical risk assessment necessary; uses per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) as an example while clarifying that innovation needs to go beyond PFAS
German and Dutch TV report on EDCs
Endocrine disrupting chemicals are topic of two TV reports, lobbying influences on EU policy discussed, internal industry documents revealing delay tactics
EC seeks feedback on CLP Regulation Roadmap
European Commission (EC) releases roadmap for revision of the Regulation on hazard classification, labelling and packaging of chemicals (CLP); aims to outline which regulatory and non-regulatory changes to consider in cost-benefit analyses during forthcoming impact assessment; wants to explore opportunities to use new technological tools; accepting public comment until June 1, 2021
Report focuses on plastics, EDCs, and health
Guide developed by Endocrine Society and International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) informs public interest organizations and policy-makers about presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in plastics; explains impacts of EDCs on human health, considers economic dimension
France to tax non-recycled plastic packaging
French government plans to make products packaged in non-recycled plastic more expensive than those using recycled packaging
Plastics Treaty should align circular economy goals with waste hierarchy, scientists say
Letter in Science by 13 members of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty calls for UN Plastic Treaty negotiators to integrate circular economy goal with waste hierarchy principles to encourage sustainable long-term solutions to end plastic pollution
Six urgent questions to address PFAS
Environmental Science and Technology feature article discusses six urgent questions to be answered to address worldwide per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances’ (PFAS) contamination and health impacts; describes importance, barriers, and ways forward for each question; emphasizes the need for cooperation, increased transparency, consideration of environmental equity; US FDA’s budget request calls for increased investment in addressing PFAS
Summary of responses to EU FCM consultation
EU Commission publishes factual summaries of public consultation and SME panel survey on FCM regulation in the EU