Scientific study estimates the costs of EDC-caused disease and disability at >2% of U.S. gross domestic product; calls for improvements in EDC screening and proactive prevention; American Chemical Council criticizes study sharply
BPA health costs at $3 billion annually
New study concludes on thousands of preventable cases of childhood obesity and heart disease caused by BPA; economic savings estimated to outweigh costs of replacing BPA
Global health costs of chemical exposures
New study estimates health costs linked to environmental chemicals may exceed 10% of global GDP; NGO calls for greater prioritization of health and prevention in policy making
Webinar on drivers for change in FCMs
Chemical Watch webinar to discuss challenges, trends, and opportunities in food contact materials (FCMs); include presentations from Nestlé and HAVI
Nestlé and Havi: Drivers for change in FCMs and packaging
ECHA finds health benefits outweigh costs of REACH restrictions
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) study analyzes costs and benefits of REACH restrictions proposed during 2016-2020; finds public health benefits of €2.1 billion per year outweigh costs of €0.5 billion per year; restrictions protect over seven million EU citizens from cancers, sexual development disorders, asthma, skin allergies; prevents annual release of 100 000 tons of polluting chemicals
EDC criteria: Latest revision and next meeting
EU Commission publishes latest version of revised criteria to identify endocrine disruptors; NGOs and industry still dissatisfied with proposed criteria; next expert meeting, and possible vote, to be held February 28, 2017
ECHA: Cost and benefit of restricting chemicals
ECHA estimates costs of substituting chemicals of concern at €290 million per year, health benefits of over €700 million per year
Scientists estimate costs of phthalate-associated mortality
Scientific article evaluates mortality in relation to US adult phthalates exposure and quantifies costs; associates phthalate exposure with mortality stemming from all causes, cardiovascular mortality, and a societal cost of $39 to 47 billion per year
Science-based proposals for reducing packaging and increasing recycling rates
Researchers investigate packaging use and recycling as well as improvement options; find globalization and time-deprived society to majorly drive food packaging use and recommend economic degrowth to reduce use; report 11% of Spain’s plastic waste efficiently recycled, well below official reports from waste management companies; emphasize need to change material and packaging design to reach circularity targets