Tolerable daily intake of BPA reduced, current exposure levels too low to cause harm
EFSA: Update on BPA reassessment
New working group of EFSA’s CEP Panel to commence evaluation of BPA hazard studies in September 2018; finalization of new BPA hazard assessment foreseen for 2020
Transgenerational effects and EDCs
Environmental Health Perspectives reports on transgenerational effects of EDCs, new NIEHS research to investigate mechanisms and number of chemicals involved
Plenary meeting of EFSA Scientific Committee
81st plenary meeting of EFSA’s Scientific Committee is open for observers; registration ends October 25, 2016
EFSA publishes uncertainty guidance
EFSA issues new guidance on uncertainty analysis in scientific assessments; public consultation on draft guidance for communicating uncertainty upcoming
EFSA publishes final plan for BPA reassessment
EFSA publishes BPA hazard assessment protocol along with report on public consultation outcomes; collection of studies to start in 2018
Report critically reviews brands’ plastics commitments
New report by the Changing Markets Foundation investigates commitments on plastic packaging made by largest food and consumer goods companies; criticizes consistently failed promises, sees voluntary initiatives as tactics to distract from and avoid responsibility
Wrestling with the externalities of the plastics supply chain
As the first meeting of the Intergovernmental Negotiation Committee of the UN Global Treaty to End Plastic Pollution approaches, publications highlight the diverse effects the plastics supply chain has on human health and the environment, particularly the burden on vulnerable communities
Gain weight because of endocrine disruption?
A study by scientists from the New York University’s School of Medicine published in September 2012 found elevated levels of a common food contact substance, bisphenol A (BPA), to be associated with a higher risk for being overweight in children and adolescents. The study used nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) study collected in 6 to 19 year old US inhabitants. The study’s design does not permit conclusions regarding causation, however biological plausible explanations of how BPA may cause overweight or obesity do exist, making the study relevant and highlighting the need for further research.
Stakeholders discuss waste management challenges of plastics
Publications from government, academia, civil society organizations, and consultancies paint problematic picture of a circular plastics economy; plastic packaging waste per person found to increase over last decade; low percentage of plastic produced is effectively recycled; pyrolysis (a type of chemical recycling) of plastics produces 9x more emissions than mechanical recycling; “biodegradable” and “compostable” plastics found to not break down in home compost systems