National Food Institute, Technical University of Denmark develops QSAR models to predict chemicals potentially affecting thyroid hormones
EU EDC fitness check – ‘another delay’ or ‘game changer’?
Platform article in Chemical Watch discusses EU Commission’s efforts to identify and address endocrine disrupting chemicals; calls for crosscutting regulatory framework, identifying and acting on suspected EDCs, considering all health costs; sees fitness check as chance to put words into action
Chemical burdens unbalanced
Majority of chemicals used without safety assessment; increased disease incidences
EU Parliament consults with EDC experts
EU Parliament’s committees on petitions and environment hold hearing with experts from EU and national regulatory agencies, academia, civil society on impact of endocrine disruptors on public health and environment
ASEAN member actions on plastic and chemical pollution
Nations in Southeast Asia collectively working on reducing plastic pollution and related chemical hazards; Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signs off on project to “combat” marine plastic; Thailand plans ban on plastic scrap imports; new research available on sources of plastic pollution in Indonesia and Vietnam; Vietnam and Singapore implementing stricter chemical regulations; extended producer responsibility for plastic waste becomes law in Philippines
Costa Rica to ban single-use plastics
Costa Rican government commits to eliminating single-use plastic items by 2021; intends to promote biodegradable, water-soluble, and renewable materials
FPF Workshop 2019: FCM oversight in Denmark
Mette Holm gives overview of approaches to FCM inspection and control by Danish Ministry of Environment and Food; latest monitoring study on PFAS in paper and board FCMs still finds intentional addition of PFAS; Denmark bans PFAS in paper and board FCM from 2020
EU court confirms BPA as SVHC for endocrine effects on wildlife
Industry association PlasticsEurope loses third court case challenging legal classification of bisphenol A (BPA) as substance of very high concern (SVHC); EU General Court supports European Chemicals Agency’s recognition of BPA’s endocrine disrupting effects on wildlife
Bioassay-based analysis of chemicals in paper & cardboard
Scientific study evaluates presence of hazardous chemicals in methanolic extracts from paper and cardboard food contact materials (FCMs) using several bioassays; finds oxidative stress (52%), genotoxicity (100%), impacts on xenobiotic metabolism (74%), antiandrogenic (52%) and antioestrogenic effects (39%); recommends an effect-based approach for hazard identification of food contact chemicals
Studies investigate circular economy barriers, consumer perceptions
Recent set of articles in peer-reviewed scientific journals review current barriers in flexible plastics to achieving circular economy, recommends regulatory policies be tailored to individual steps in supply chain; consumers easily confused by plastic waste management system, recycling processes, biodegradability claims; researchers instead propose food system shift towards decentralization, shorter supply chains