First annual report of Belgian nano-register

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