Silent Spring Institute publishes report investigating PFAS exposure, finds consuming home-cooked meals reduces exposure compared to restaurant consumption; U.S. state of Washington to focus on paper wraps and liners during alternatives assessment; U.S. presidential candidate pledges to label substance class as hazardous substances
EFSA supports research on AOPs
Call for research proposals on adverse outcome pathways identifying new endocrine disrupting chemicals research, focus on uterine adenocarcinoma; proposals to be submitted to European Food Safety Authority until September 14, 2020
Plastic straws to be banned
UK Environment Secretary pushes for ban on plastics straws; EU Commission’s vice-president says EU law on single-use plastics expected before summer 2018
EFSA BPA re-evaluation: 11th meeting
EFSA CEP Panel publishes minutes of the 11th meeting of its working group on bisphenol A safety re-evaluation; experts discuss draft technical report of pilot phase, review results from ongoing evaluation of papers, identify need for expertise in toxicokinetic modeling
EFSA BPA assessment protocol: 12th meeting
EFSA’s CEF Panel Working Group on BPA assessment protocol holds twelfth meeting on the reevaluation of BPA safety; meeting minutes available online
EFSA BPA re-evaluation: 9th and 10th meetings
EFSA CEP Panel publishes minutes of the 9th and 10th meetings of its working group on bisphenol A safety re-evaluation; experts discuss pilot phase, review results from ongoing evaluation of papers
Bill to require US FDA to reexamine chemicals used in food
Representative Jan Schakowsky introduces Food Chemical Reassessment Act of 2021 to the United States House of Representatives; the bill would require the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to regularly review the chemicals used in foods, particularly those approved through the generally recognized as safe (GRAS) rule; would establish an Office of Food Safety Reassessment and reestablish a food advisory committee
ECHA committees agree on restriction of 4 phthalates
ECHA’s Committees for Risk Assessment and Socio-Economic Analysis support proposal to ban endocrine disrupting phthalates DEHP, DBP, DIBP, and BBP in various articles; all 4 substances relevant for food contact materials
Restriction proposal for 6 PFASs
Swedish and German agencies propose restricting 6 per- and polyfluorinated substances, as well as mixtures and articles containing them; ECHA opens public consultation until June 20, 2018
Microplastic exposure through drinking cups and human health impacts
Study finds up to 6000 particles/L to be released from disposable drinking cups; scientists estimate humans ingest 37,613–89,294 microplastics through plastic cups use per year; study suggests consumption from plastic containers changes human gut and oral microbiota composition; review concludes that uptake of microplastics carrying pathogens may impact human health