Researchers expand list of known substances with characteristics linked to breast cancer by more than four-fold; many are in standard consumer products, including 189 in food contact according to FPF’s database on migrating and extractable food contact chemicals (FCCmigex); authors call for improved hazard identification methods, advocate for more comprehensive chemical testing, especially focusing on the mammary gland and broader range of chemicals
Food contact chemicals among 921 substances tied to breast cancer risk
EFSA CEP Panel updates from November 2021 to April 2022
Minutes available from recent meetings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel) working groups on food contact materials (FCMs), bisphenol A (BPA), recycling plastics, phthalates, and extraction solvents
Plastics identified as source of legal liability
Minderoo Foundation finds liabilities from the health and environmental effects of microplastics and plastic-related chemicals to be worth more than $20 billion in the US by 2030; potentially up to $100 billion in liabilities expected by 2030 with the number expected to increase in the future; article published by the American Bar Association focuses on potential corporate liabilities from micro- and nanoplastics in particular
EU Commission’s Working Group on FCMs
EU Working Group on FCMs discusses BPA, amendments to EU 10/2011, mineral oil migration, authorization of recycling processes, migration testing guidelines
ECETOC report recommends alternative AFs
European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals (ECETOC) publishes report reviewing derived no-effect levels (DNELs); finds European Chemicals Agency’s default assessment factors (AFs) “in some cases overly conservative”; recommends reviewing and using alternative AFs
US NIEHS Director welcomes tiered approach as a first step towards inherently safe chemicals
Tiered protocol for identifying EDCs can be used by industry voluntarily to respond to consumers’ demand of inherently safer chemicals
EU Parliament approves new waste policy
EU Parliament votes in favor of waste legislation package; 2030 recycling targets set at 60% for municipal waste and 70% for packaging; manufacturers to make information on SVHC content in products available to public
PEF industry project funded by EU
EU-industry partnership grants funding to industry consortium working on the advancement and commercial availability of PEF, a bio-based alternative packaging material to PET
EFSA: Activity 2015 and outlook for 2016-2019
EFSA publishes Annual Activity Report 2015 and a revised version of Programming document with strategic outlook for 2016-2019