Belgium publishes 2016 annual report of national register for nanomaterials; 150 different substances registered, most of them for industrial uses
Draft EU directive on single-use plastics leaked
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
Plastic packaging industry discusses current challenges
Food Contact Plastics Seminar 2018 addresses EU plastics strategy, bioassays, Chinese FCM legislation, developments in EU FCM regulations
Conference of European masterbatchers and compounders
2018 European Masterbatchers and Compounders association conference to take place on May 17, 2018 in Brussels; draft program and registration now available
Phthalates in dairy farm equipment
New report by Coalition for Safer Food Processing & Packaging finds continued use of phthalates in plastic and rubber equipment for dairy farming; potential source of phthalates in dairy products such as milk and cheese
Chemicals in marine plastics as persistent pollutants
Publication by working group of Regional Centers of the Stockholm and Basel Conventions views marine plastics litter and its chemical components as persistent pollutants, calls for immediate preventive measures to reduce plastics pollution
EFSA updates food consumption database
EFSA releases updated Comprehensive European Food Consumption Database, includes data from EU Menu project, covers more population groups and new food categories
Nano amendments to REACH adopted
EU Member States adopt nano-amendments to REACH Annexes; new requirements for identifying and characterizing nanoforms, providing data for nanomaterials registered under REACH
EDC criteria for pesticides adopted
EU Commission officially adopts revised EDC criteria for plant protection products; practical application guidance to be finalized in summer 2018; consumer organization wants EDC criteria to go ‘beyond’ biocides and pesticides
EFSA: Safety assessment of PET recycling process
EFSA’s CEF Panel considers ‘BTB PET direct IV+’-recycled PET safe for contact with all foodstuffs for long-term storage at room temperature, with or without hotfill; trays made of this recycled PET not to be used in microwave and ovens