European Commission (EC) publishes proposal to revise the EU legislation on packaging and packaging waste; includes mandatory targets for waste reduction, re-use, and minimum recycled content in plastic packaging; based on three problems identified by an impact assessment: growing packaging waste generation, barriers to packaging recycling and re-use, and low recycling quality in plastic packaging
Currently used tiered approach not adequate for substances with non-monotonic dose-response
EFSA publishes report on Low Dose Colloquium in June
EC study guides creation of sustainable-by-design criteria
European Commission (EC) releases study mapping current sustainability initiatives and research applicable to creating sustainable-by-design criteria; particular focus on materials and chemicals, including a section assessing nanomaterials; finds few policies related to the production phase of a material’s life cycle; next steps are to identify specific aspects of sustainability to be covered in the criteria and how to evaluate them
European Packaging Talk – How does future food packaging look?
Opinion: big gap in food safety
Presence of contaminants in food contact materials, consumers are not aware
EU FCM policy briefing
Non-profit organization HEAL publishes policy briefing on regulation of FCMs in the EU; prioritizes regulation of paper and board, varnishes and coatings, and printing inks; calls for ban of SVHCs and EDCs in food contact materials
Alternative testing strategies for nanomaterials
New OECD document discusses the use of alternative testing strategies in risk assessment of nanomaterials; makes recommendations to advance the field within coming years
Public consultation on BPA re-evaluation
EFSA announces public consultation on BPA re-evaluation protocol, defining scope, methodology, information needs for safety assessment planned in 2018; deadline for comments is September 3, 2017
Priority substances for EU biomonitoring project
Stakeholder NGOs and industry groups nominate priority substances for European Human Biomonitoring Initiative; deadline for nomination is September 2017
ECETOC publishes compilation on endocrine disruptors
European Centre for Ecotoxicology and Toxicology of Chemicals compiles package of publications on endocrine disrupting chemicals