EU Commission’s draft proposal to reduce plastic pollution plans banning certain single-use plastic items, making producers pay for clean-up and recycling, requiring EU Member States to collect plastic bottles
Ways towards more sustainable packaging
Brands, packaging producers and other stakeholders gather in Barcelona to discuss sustainable packaging; current focus on increasing recycling, but packaging reduction and reuse are the mid-term aims; chemical safety only touched upon briefly
Chemicals of concern in baby and toddler diet
French food safety agency assesses dietary exposure of children under 3 to chemicals; identifies 16 substances of concern and recommends reducing exposure; more data needed for substances migrating from FCMs
California modifies draft circular economy bill
State lawmakers adapt proposed legislation on single use packaging and recycling following stakeholder discussions, keep target for 75% recycling rate by 2030, add language regarding material neutral treatment and use of a stakeholder advisory panel
New York: Bloomberg to propose ban of polystyrene food packaging
New York’s mayor Bloomberg tries to increase plastic recycling through banning plastic foam food packaging
Microplastics measured in human blood and mouse brains
First human biomonitoring study encounters plastic particles of four different polymer types in human blood; in vivo study reports polystyrene nanoparticles pass blood-brain barrier and induce neurotoxicity in mice; review summarizes plastic particle and titanium dioxide impacts on human gut epithelial integrity, gut homeostasis, and intestinal inflammation
EFSA comments on misleading communication of BPA risks
Low health concern associated with BPA aggregate exposure was not acknowledged in communication materials to make them “accessible” to non-specialist audiences, EFSA claims
GRAS petitions: Trade secrets vs. public disclosure
Food Safety News argues that spotlight on GRAS notification process may shift line between trade secrets and public disclosure
Universal fetal exposure to BPA
New study suggests high and potentially hazardous levels of BPA in fetuses
JRC: definition of nanomaterial
Joint Research Centre publishes 2nd report on EC nanomaterial definition; details differences among definitions