Commission agrees with EFSA’s definition of EDCs and rejects criticism regarding EFSA’s independence
Plastics Global Commitment progress report 2021
Finds global virgin plastic production for signatory brands and retailers has likely peaked; progress so far driven by recycling, but warns recycling is not the solution and elimination of single-use packaging urgently needed; separate reports find US polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle recycling rates decreasing and Australia not meeting plastic recycling targets
US EPA extends comment period on PFAS reporting requirements
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extends comment period for proposed reporting and recordkeeping requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); would require manufacturers that produced PFAS at anytime since 2011 to make a one-time report with information about uses, production volumes, disposal, exposures, and hazards; comments accepted until September 27, 2021
EU’s Chemicals Strategy plans actions on FCMs
European Commission (EC) publishes Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability; plans to ban PFAS for all non-essential uses, move towards grouping approach for regulation of all chemicals; specific actions for food contact materials (FCM) include extending generic approach to risk management, identifying endocrine disruptors, considering cumulative effects of chemical mixtures
EFSA publishes mixtures methodology
European Food Safety Authority launches guidance on assessment of ‘combined effects’ of chemical mixtures in food and feed
China works on strategy for recycled FCMs
National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment (CFSA) surveys industry on the use of recycled food contact materials and initiates ‘basic research’ to inform development of risk management strategy for recycled FCMs
JRC report on science for food
European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) launches report on science for food; publication to inform pending Farm to Fork Strategy; includes overview of JRC’s previous and current work on food contact materials
JRC works on cytotoxicity screening of nanomaterials
Interlaboratory comparison study identifies reproducible cytotoxicity assay for nanomaterials
Elastomer, Thermoplastic FCM regulatory framework and NIAS Risk Management
2019 ILSI NA workshop on FCMs
ILSI North America hosts international conference on scientific advances and challenges in safety evaluation of food packaging materials, April 2-3, 2019; deadline for submitting abstracts is September 14, 2018; registration now open