China requests comments for five new food contact chemicals (FCCs); includes two additives, three polymer resins; consultation open until May 13, 2021
News Article
April 26, 2021
News Article
December 9, 2022
EC proposes revisions to packaging and waste legislation
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
News Article
August 18, 2020
China calls for comments on food contact substances
China’s National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment solicits comments on new food contact substances and resins, expanded uses
News Article
June 13, 2016
Commission breaches EU law and treaty
European Parliament passes resolution on endocrine disruptors and condemns Commission’s illegal delay in setting scientific criteria for EDCs
News Article
May 16, 2024
Consumer goods companies abandoning 2025 plastic packaging reduction goals
Unilever reduces environmental pledges and sets new timeline; prioritizes cutting costs over green goals; receives criticism from civil society
News Article
May 15, 2015
EU Commission to create top science advice panel
New science advisory system of the Commission to be operational by autumn 2015, seven top level scientists will be recruited to advise European policy makers
News Article
November 23, 2021
Plastics Global Commitment progress report 2021
Finds global virgin plastic production for signatory brands and retailers has likely peaked; progress so far driven by recycling, but warns recycling is not the solution and elimination of single-use packaging urgently needed; separate reports find US polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle recycling rates decreasing and Australia not meeting plastic recycling targets
News Article
August 3, 2021
US EPA extends comment period on PFAS reporting requirements
The US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extends comment period for proposed reporting and recordkeeping requirements for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); would require manufacturers that produced PFAS at anytime since 2011 to make a one-time report with information about uses, production volumes, disposal, exposures, and hazards; comments accepted until September 27, 2021
News Article
October 14, 2020
EU’s Chemicals Strategy plans actions on FCMs
European Commission (EC) publishes Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability; plans to ban PFAS for all non-essential uses, move towards grouping approach for regulation of all chemicals; specific actions for food contact materials (FCM) include extending generic approach to risk management, identifying endocrine disruptors, considering cumulative effects of chemical mixtures
News Article
February 21, 2019
EFSA FCM working group: 3rd meeting
EFSA’s CEP Panel working group on food contact materials holds 3rd meeting; minutes now available online
