The French Competition Authority alleges that 14 trade associations and 101 companies had agreements not to communicate about the use or removal of BPA from metal-containing food packaging in France; authority has not released names of the companies, but Nestle has released a statement denying the allegations
ERM Innovation Day Seminar: Regulatory Compliance for Food Contact Materials
Chemicals in plastics: Toxicity and composition
Toward a Global Understanding of Chemical Pollution: A First Comprehensive Analysis of National and Regional Chemical Inventories
International computational collaborations for predictive toxicology
National parks in Thailand ban single use plastics
The Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation bans styrofoam packaging and single-use plastics from all 155 national parks in the country; those caught with single-use food containers, cups, or utensils could face a fine up to 100,000 baht ($3,000 USD); Elephants and other animals reportedly eating plastics in national park north of Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok)
Spain passes comprehensive waste reduction regulation, eases the way for reuse
New Spanish waste law includes extensive waste reduction measures and targets across the entire supply chain; bans bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates in food packaging; mandates food providers offer tap water for free and accept reusable containers if customers bring them; 20% of floor space in large grocery stores must be for food without packaging; establishes extended producer responsibility scheme and bottle-to-bottle recycling program
U.S. consumers confused about compostable and biodegradable food packaging labels
Half of surveyed people have difficulty with the difference between compostable and biodegradable; 50% of participants fail to dispose of packaging correctly; report suggests better standardization and consumer education needed
BPA shown to disrupt sperm development
U.S. researchers show that brief exposures to BPA and other estrogens early in life can alter the stem cells involved in sperm production years later
JRC proposes improved testing strategies
EU’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) publishes study identifying chemical testing strategies that require fewer tests, reduce need for animal testing; based on data on biocide and plant protection products, could be expanded for use across other product types