France publishes new Order on food contact rubber and pacifiers for infants and toddlers; updates lists of authorized substances, their specifications, restrictions; law enters into force on July 1, 2021
August 24, 2020
Bamboo in plastic FCMs not authorized in the EU
European Commission’s Working Group concludes that bamboo-based additives are not authorized per se for use in plastic food contact materials in the EU; business operators to explicitly demonstrate safety by migration testing; migration of melamine, formaldehyde of high concern; additional concerns about misleading labeling and advertising
August 18, 2020
How to regulate polymers?
Chemical Watch commentary addresses the nature of polymerization reactions, provides technical background information explaining the challenges in the registration of polymers under REACH
August 18, 2020
China calls for comments on food contact substances
China’s National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment solicits comments on new food contact substances and resins, expanded uses
August 13, 2020
EU notifies C9-C14 PFCA restriction to WTO
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
August 7, 2020
Australia publishes guidance on chemicals in food contact articles
Defines registration process for chemicals in food contact articles under new national regulatory scheme; requires additional testing of specific target organ toxicity and record-keeping of migration levels
July 30, 2020
Uruguay and Paraguay consult on positive list of FCM additives
Governments publish positive lists of additives allowed in food contact materials (FCM); adoption would bring national regulations in line with Mercosur Resolution GMC 39/19
July 28, 2020
EU could apply tax on non-recycled plastic packaging waste
European Council agrees €0.80 tax per kilogram on non-recycled plastic packaging waste starting January 1, 2021; exact law still needs to be developed and then approved by European Parliament and Council of the EU
July 20, 2020
Combined evidence supports low-dose effects of BPA
Scientists integrate and interpret data from 8 of the 14 academic studies completed under the CLARITY-BPA project; link bisphenol A (BPA) exposure to impacts across multiple organs including brain, heart, prostate, mammary gland, ovaries; strengthen confidence in low-dose effects of BPA; co-authors to present results in webinar on July 21, 2020
July 14, 2020
Toxics in packaging legislation to restrict PFAS, ortho-phthalates
Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse (TPCH) proposes to update its model legislation already adopted in 19 US states; set to ban presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in packaging above detection limit, limit presence of ortho-phthalates to 100 ppm; comments accepted until August 24, 2020
