U.S. Food and Drug Administration releases analytical testing results of 16 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances across 88 food samples, finds one sample of fish with detectable levels of PFOS
January 7, 2020
EU Commission solicits comments on draft REACH update requirements
European Commission draft implementing regulations specifies when registrants should update REACH dossiers following changes; public feedback period open until January 15, 2020
January 6, 2020
EU ministers recommend PFAS restrictions
European environmental ministers announce intention to draft PFAS restriction proposal, prohibit non-essential uses, create EU action plan; emphasize need to manage substances as a group
January 6, 2020
BEUC, CHEM Trust call for reformed EU FCM regulations
European Consumer Organization (BEUC) publishes position paper on current EU food contact material (FCM) regulation, calls for answers to known deficiencies, harmonized regulation; CHEM Trust letter to European Commissioner for Health outlines concerns, recommends following five key principles
January 6, 2020
U.S. EPA: updates on substance risk evaluations
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalizes identification of next 20 high-priority substances for risk evaluation, includes 12 food contact chemicals; still reviewing public comments on low-priority substances
January 6, 2020
ECHA recognizes PFBS as substance of very high concern
European member states agree to recognize perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) as a substance of very high concern (SVHC); cite equivalent concern to carcinogenic, mutagenic, reprotoxic substances, high mobility in environment
December 23, 2019
EFSA to re-assess phthalates again
EU Commission plans to ask EFSA to do yet another risk assessment of phthalates in plastic food contact materials, look at endpoints other than reproductive toxicity
December 19, 2019
EFSA working group updates in November and December 2019
Minutes from recent meetings of the EFSA working groups on BPA and FCMs available
December 19, 2019
U.S. plastic bottle recycling continues to decline in 2018
Report by Association of Plastic Recyclers (APR) shows that U.S. postconsumer plastic bottle collection fell to 28.9% in 2018; exports of postconsumer bottles drop, fraction processed domestically at an all-time high
December 18, 2019
UBA report to inform PFAS restriction proposals
German Environment Agency (UBA) publishes final report summarizing information collection on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) including long-chain perfluoroalkyl carboxylic acids (PFCAs) and set of short-chain PFAS; finds PFCA restriction justifiable, short-chain PFASs difficult to substitute and restrict