Food Packaging Forum to co-host event on September 12, 2019 in Gothenburg, Sweden presenting results from multi-year research project on chemicals in plastic packaging; registration open to attend in person or via live webinar
EU Commission plans EDC hazard classes within CLP
European Commission announces plan to create new hazard classes for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) within the EUβs Classification, Labeling, and Packaging (CLP) Regulation; industry stakeholders criticize decision, call for addressing EDCs via REACH Regulation; civil society groups welcome change; further discussion planned for February 2021
Soil microbes eat biodegradable plastic
Swiss and Austrian researchers show that soil microorganisms fully metabolize biodegradable polymer polybutylene adipate terephthalate; European Bioplastics deems doubts about biodegradable plastics clarified
EU consultation on circular economy action plan
European Committee of the Regions launches stakeholder consultation to inform upcoming opinion on circular economy action plan, targets local and regional authorities and their stakeholder associations; comments due by May 29, 2020
Opinion: Personal value acknowledgments towards better public health policy
Environmental Health News guest contributors suggest declaring personal interests to increase transparency in scientific debates
EFSA EREN: Identifying emerging risks
Overview article describes outcomes of EFSA’s emerging risks exchange network (EREN) from 2010-2014, strategy for dealing with emerging risks in food safety
Study detects antimony migration from PET
FPF reports on study that measured antimony migration at levels well below the official safety limits
Maternal BPA associated with lower birth weight, contradictory results?
Environmental Health Perspectives’ journalist Kellyn Betts comments on recent findings inversely associating prenatal BPA exposure and body weight
Study finds BPS depresses heart function
Scientists from University of Guleph report bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol A (BPA) able to decrease systolic pressure and rates of contraction and relaxation within minutes of exposure in mice; BPS found to be more potent than BPA, raises concerns about its use as substitute in plastics
EFSA FCM working group: 6th meeting
Minutes of the 6th meeting of EFSAβs CEP Panel working group on food contact materials now available online; discussion of criteria and tools for prioritizing food contact plastics substances on the Union list that do not have specific migration limits