Inspectors from Nordic countries examine 361 products ordered online for compliance with various EU chemicals legislation; find 53% non-compliant, higher rate of non-compliance for products sold by companies outside of EU; lead, short chain chlorinated paraffins, diethylhexyl phthalate (DEHP) detected most often
US EPA extends PV29 TSCA evaluation comment period
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) extends comment period for draft risk evaluation of C.I. Pigment Violet 29 (PV29) under its TSCA regulation; new draft adds previously confidential business data, solubility testing data, workplace air monitoring; concludes 11 of 14 conditions of use for PV29 pose unreasonable risk; toxicity debate ongoing also in Europe; EPA extends comment period for the revised draft until December 19, 2020
EU committee rejects increasing lead limits in recycled PVC
Environment Committee of EU Parliament rejects EU Commission’s proposal to allow up to 2% lead by weight in recycled polyvinylchloride (PVC); see increased levels as unsafe and unnecessary given available PVC alternatives, argue recycling should not justify continued use of hazardous substances
ZWE report identifies climate benefits of reusable packaging
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) publishes study comparing 32 life cycle assessments (LCAs) to evaluate single-use and reusable packaging; finds reusable glass bottles have 85% fewer carbon emissions than single-use with highest impacts from transport; breakeven point reached after two to three reuse cycles; suggests five key measures to increase sustainability of reusable packaging
EU bottled water industry commits to more recycling
European Federation of Bottled Waters aims to increase collection of PET bottles from 60% to 90% and use 25% recycled PET in water bottles by 2025 as EU average
California governor vetoes recycled content bill
Bill AB-792 would have increased the required recycled content of containers in the state to reach 50% by 2030; governor cites concerns about amendments allowing manufacturers to appeal requirement if target not met
Resolution on EDCs
4th International Conference on Chemicals Management held from September 28 to October 2, 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland; majority agreement on EDC resolution
Upcoming bans on single-use plastics
UK plans banning plastic straws and cotton buds; New York governor proposes statewide ban on plastic bags, with exemptions
Plastic recycling: Future scenarios and behavioral influences
Five articles discuss future recycling and/or consumer waste sorting; outline future recycling technologies and recycled plastic applications; identify gaps between recycling technologies and targets of multi-material multilayer plastic packaging; find consumers wrongly dispose bioplastics and that packaging design affects sorting behavior; show single-use bag bans able to increase recycling contamination
Endocrine disruption and marine plastic pollution
Talk by Pete Myers at the CE100 Annual Summit 2016 explains endocrine disruption and why it is important; shows how marine plastic pollution contaminates food chain and increases exposure to EDCs