US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extends comment period for draft risk evaluation of C.I. Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) under its TSCA regulation; new draft adds previously confidential business data, solubility testing data, workplace air monitoring; concludes 11 of 14 conditions of use for PV29 pose unreasonable risk; toxicity debate ongoing also in Europe; EPA extends comment period for the revised draft until December 19, 2020
November 16, 2020
ECHA calls for comments on chlorinated paraffins
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) seeks information on manufacture, use, exposure, environmental release of chlorinated alkanes to inform restriction proposal; comments accepted until December 15, 2020
November 2, 2020
ECHA launches SCIP database
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) opens database tracking substances of very high concern (SVHCs) present in products; companies required to submit information via the database beginning January 2021
October 7, 2020
Consumer organization’s position paper, survey on FCMs
German consumer organization publishes position paper; identifies fragmentations, holes in current EU regulations on food contact materials (FCMs); critical of limited supply chain transparency, enforcement of chemicals in FCMs by authorities; calls for banning harmful substances, introducing strict positive lists; survey of 1,000 consumers finds most are not well informed about food packaging labelling, proper use
September 22, 2020
ECHA director responds to criticisms
Interview with Bjorn Hansen discusses efficiency of data sharing across chemical assessments, incompleteness of REACH registration dossiers, identification of additional SVHCs, and the upcoming EU chemicals strategy
September 10, 2020
ECHA consults on potential SVHCs
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) opens public consultation on the identification of dioctyltin dilaurate and stannane, dioctyl-, bis(coco acyloxy) derivatives as substances of very high concern (SVHCs) due to reproductive toxicity; comments accepted until October 16, 2020
July 8, 2020
ECHA survey identifies drivers and barriers of chemical substitution
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publishes report on motivations for companies to substitute hazardous chemicals; greatest drivers found to be regulatory restrictions under REACH, customer demand, internal sustainability strategies
July 2, 2020
EU to inspect consumer products for hazardous substances
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announces large enforcement project to check for presence of select hazardous substances regulated under REACH and persistent organic pollutant legislation; communication along supply chain to be evaluated; results to be released in 2023
June 25, 2020
ECHA adds four new SVHCs to candidate list
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) identifies four new substances of very high concern (SVHCs) set to be phased-out; two are food contact chemicals including 1-vinylimidazole and 2-methylimidazole
June 24, 2020
FPF comments on EU chemicals strategy roadmap
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) submits feedback on European Commission’s roadmap to develop chemicals strategy for sustainability; calls for sufficient support to establish appropriate test methods, prioritize substitution of the known hazardous chemicals currently authorized for use in food contact materials
