EU Parliament debates directive on reducing marine litter from plastics, including restrictions for specific single-use plastic products; final vote scheduled for October 24, 2018
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October 23, 2018
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April 24, 2017
Compostable bioplastic coffee cups
UK company develops disposable bio-based coffee cups and lids; recyclable in paper waste stream or fully compostable within 3 months under appropriate conditions
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February 25, 2020
China requests comments on new FCMs, chemicals
National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment calls for public comment on new food contact materials (FCMs) and chemicals as well as expanded uses; feedback accepted until March 11, 2020
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April 5, 2022
EFSA stakeholder workshop on small particles and nanoparticles in food
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) presentations provide guidance on small particles in food and feed applications (i) evaluating the potential presence of particles in ‘conventional’ materials and (ii) how to perform nano-specific risk assessment; stakeholders share experience and discuss practices to implement guidance cost-effectively
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March 2, 2023
EFSA CEP Panel updates from October 2022 to February 2023
Minutes available from recent meetings of the working groups on food contact materials (FCMs), bisphenol A (BPA), and recycling plastics, within the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA’s) Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel); no further meeting of the BPA working group planned; specific migration limit (SML) for styrene in FCMs upcoming
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December 19, 2019
EFSA working group updates in November and December 2019
Minutes from recent meetings of the EFSA working groups on BPA and FCMs available
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January 24, 2017
Live stream of open EFSA scientific meetings 2017
EFSA releases dates of scientific meetings in 2017, introduces live stream of open meetings for observers; CEF Panel meeting scheduled for November 28-30, 2017
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June 29, 2021
EPR regulations expanded in Canada and US
Canadian province of Ontario expands extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for paper packaging from covering half of recycling cost to full cost by 2023; adds single-use food packaging to program; legislatures in US states of Maine and Oregon pass EPR legislation that includes food packaging; governors of both states need to sign for bills to become law
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January 6, 2020
U.S. EPA: updates on substance risk evaluations
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalizes identification of next 20 high-priority substances for risk evaluation, includes 12 food contact chemicals; still reviewing public comments on low-priority substances
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January 28, 2016
European FCM regulation challenged
Workshop at the European Parliament discusses several major challenges to current FCM regulation and enforcement, unites diverse stakeholders in their call for improvements
