European Commission holds workshop with stakeholders to discuss criteria for chemicals that are Safe and Sustainable by Design (SSbD); implementation of EU’s Chemical Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) will depend on clear and implementable criteria for SSbD, amongst other central pillars such as essential use and generic risk assessment
Towards standardization of paper and cardboard sample preparation procedures
Scoping review assesses state-of-the-art of paper and cardboard food packaging safety assessment; maps sample preparation approaches, challenges, and factors influencing chemical migration; provides guidance to develop and evaluate standardized sample preparation methods
Contaminants migrate from pipes into drinking water worldwide
Review summarizes the scientific knowledge on five groups of contaminants migrating from drinking water distribution systems into tap water; reports microplastics, bisphenol A (BPA), phthalates, nonylphenol (NP), per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) detected in tap water and may stem from pipes and reservoirs; finds pipe material type largely influences contaminant migration
Chemical substitutions with no regrets
US scientists discuss how “regrettable substitutions” may be avoided, intentional chemical design needed
Many REACH registrations non-compliant
Study by German authorities finds 32% of high production volume chemicals non-compliant with REACH safety data requirements; 31% compliant, rest uncertain; European Environmental Bureau suggests actions for improvement
Campaign detects mineral oil hydrocarbons in European food products
Foodwatch publishes test results of 152 food products sampled across Europe; finds mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in 12% of them at levels up to 82 mg/kg food; petition calls for EU leaders to recall contaminated products and implement a zero-tolerance rule prohibiting any detectable level in all foods
FPF comments on EU BPA restriction
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) submits comments to the European Commission on the restriction of bisphenol A in food contact materials; supports the proposed regulation; advocates for shorter transition periods, broader coverage, and development of more advanced detection methods
Proposals to standardize chemicals work, data sharing across EU
European Commission adopts legislative proposals working toward ‘one substance, one assessment’ in the EU; plan to create Europe-wide chemicals data platform; allow agencies to commission chemical testing and monitoring, set up an early warning system for chemical risks, and establish a monitoring framework; two proposals restructure responsibilities among EU agencies
IPEN: ‘alarming levels’ in recycled plastics
Analyses of consumer products made of recycled plastics show high concentrations of brominated dioxins and brominated flame retardants; IPEN calls for stricter controls
Phthalates: impact on leiomyoma growth and mixture risk
Study identifies mono(2-ethyl-5-hydroxyhexyl) phthalate (MEHHP) exposure as high-risk factor for leiomyoma growth on epidemiological and mechanistic level; European biomonitoring of five reprotoxic phthalates demonstrates necessity to integrate mixture risk assessment into regulatory practice; targeted analysis shows migration of five phthalates from polypropylene food packaging