South American trade bloc to no longer allow bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic food contact articles designed for children under 3 years old, lowers migration limit from other plastic FCAs; sets migration limits for 9 metals from plastic FCAs; adds substances to positive list for plastics and for cellulosic materials
Malaysia sets metal migration limits for ceramics
Notification to World Trade Organization (WTO) expands regulations to cover ceramic cooking ware, sets migration limits of 0.5 mg/L for lead and 0.05 mg/L for cadmium
Germany notifies WTO of MOAH restrictions
German authorities notify World Trade Organization (WTO) about intention to restrict mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food contact materials and articles made from recycled paper and board; sets migration limits into food (<0.5 mg/kg) and food simulant (<0.15 mg/kg); will come into effect three years after publication
Flame retardants above regulatory limits in some ‘eco-friendly’ baking papers
Study of bio-based food contact articles made of sugarcane bagasse or cellulose wood pulp labelled “natural”, “compostable”, or “biodegradable” finds PFAS and organophosphate esters (OPEs), a type of flame retardant and plasticizer; concentrations highest in baking papers; though purchased in Italy, some OPEs above EU regulatory concentration limit of 0.01 mg/kg
EFSA evaluates alkanamides mixture for use in FCMs
EFSA’s CEF Panel considers mixture of methyl-branched and linear C14–C18 alkanamides, derived from fatty acids, safe for use in for food contact materials under certain conditions
Draft 15th amendment to EU plastic FCM regulation
EU Commission drafting new amendment for EU Regulation 10/2011 on plastic FCMs; authorizes new substances, decreases non-detect migration limits, adds migration limits for elements and metals
Pesticides found in food also used as food contact sanitizers
EFSA publishes evaluation of monitoring data on residues of two pesticides, finds levels significantly above the Maximum Residue Levels
EFSA considers new studies on bisphenol S
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes technical report considering two new toxicological studies on bisphenol S (BPS) submitted under REACH; determines that current specific migration limit of 0.05 mg/kg food remains unaffected, calls for more data on migration into food
US EPA reissues PFBS risk assessment
US Environmental Protection Agency (US EPA) reissues risk assessment on perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS); sets reference doses for chronic exposure of 0.0003 mg/kg body weight/day and sub-chronic exposures of 0.001 mg/kg body weight/day
Antimony trioxide inhalation limit
U.S. scientific organization recommends lowering inhalation limit to 0.02 mg/m3; industry group warns of cost increases and intransparency in calculations