Topics
PFAS
September 17, 2020
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes final version of its opinion on risk to human health from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food; sets group tolerable weekly intake limit of 4.4 ng/kg body weight for four most commonly measured PFAS in humans
Topics: PFAS, risk assessment
Reading time: 1 minute
September 4, 2020
US state’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) holds virtual workshop to collect input from stakeholders on use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in plant fiber-based food packaging; suggests it could decide to limit scope of products considered in upcoming policy, draws criticism from advocacy groups
Topics: PFAS
Reading time: 2 minutes
September 4, 2020
European Environmental Bureau (EEB) hosts series of four webinars in September 2020 featuring presentations from academic experts on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances; publishes overview report prioritizing fluorotelomer substances, their side-chain fluorinated polymers, fluorinated (poly)ethers
Topics: PFAS
Reading time: 1 minute
September 3, 2020
Multi-stakeholder initiative ‘Charting the Path’ investigates current testing methods for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food service ware and food packaging; discusses recommendations for food service ware, fluorinated chemical standards, and San Francisco ordinance
Topics: PFAS
Reading time: 1 minute
August 13, 2020
European Union notifies World Trade Organization of proposed amendment to REACH Restriction List (Annex XVII) to restrict manufacturing, use, placing on the market and import of C9-C14 perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), their salts and related substances within the EU; long-chain PFCAs can be present in food contact materials as impurities but also degradation products of long-chain fluorotelomers
Reading time: 9 minutes
August 12, 2020
US NGO Safer Chemicals, Healthy Families releases guides on eliminating per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from food packaging used by fast-food restaurants and grocery chains
Topics: PFAS, substitution
Reading time: 1 minute
August 7, 2020
Mind the Store campaign and Toxic-Free Future collect and test 29 food packaging samples from 6 US fast food chains for fluorine levels; find that burger wrappers and containers from McDonald’s and Burger King likely treated with per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); paper bags used for French fries and deserts have consistently high fluorine levels
Topics: PFAS
Reading time: 2 minutes
August 3, 2020
Three manufacturers of the short chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substance (PFAS) 6:2 fluorotelomer alcohol (6:2 FTOH) commit to voluntarily phase out use by 2023; concerns about potential persistence in humans following dietary exposure
Topics: PFAS
Reading time: 1 minute
July 31, 2020
Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) workshop on August 31, 2020 to receive public input on identifying plant-fiber based food packaging as priority product; report with product-chemical profile published and open for public comment until September 13, 2020
Topics: PFAS
Reading time: 1 minute
July 31, 2020
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes final significant new use rule (SNUR) for set of long-chain per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); final version omits language applying rule to interior-facing surface coatings, results in call for formal inspection of rule making process by government officials; Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) criticizes agency for non-transparent approval of new PFASs via process exemptions
Reading time: 2 minutes
