Industry, environment and health groups, as well as science community mostly express criticism and disappointment over European Commission’s proposal for EDC criteria
ECHA committees reach consensus on PFHxS but not on resorcinol
Committee agrees to support Norway’s restriction proposal on manufacture and placing on the market of perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS), its salts, and related substances; cannot reach consensus to identify resorcinol as substance of very high concern (SVHC), agree that it is endocrine disrupting under World Health Organization (WHO) definition
Switzerland: 25% of PVC lid gaskets exceed plasticizer migration limits
Swiss national campaign analyses 109 oily food samples packaged in glass jars on the compliance of migration of plasticizers from their lid gaskets; comparison with European campaigns conducted a decade ago shows similar proportion of non-compliant samples with non-polyvinyl chloride (PVC)-gasket; urges food businesses to pay more attention to the suitability of their products lids
Denmark: EFSA’s recommended safe level for BPA is too high
Denmark’s National Food Institute maintains its previous risk assessment of BPA is correct
Degradation of compostable plastics can increase toxicity, scientists emphasize
Studies analyze biodegradable – including compostable – plastics for their in vitro toxicity and chemical composition; comparison with conventional plastics indicates higher toxicity of compostables which further increases with photodegradation and composting; detect brominated flame retardants in “biodegradable”-labeled food packaging
BPA impedes cell signaling
Authors of new study consider BPA harmful in plastics, but possibly useful for tumor treatment
EU legislation on waste
Council of the European Union and EU Parliament provisionally agree on EU Commission’s proposals for revision of EU waste legislation; introduce new binding targets for packaging waste recycling, define requirements for extended producer responsibility
United States creating national plastic pollution strategy
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes draft national strategy to prevent plastic pollution; outlines goals to reduce pollution during plastic production, improve recycling/reuse, and remove microplastics from waterways
FCM regulatory and waste management updates from South and Southeast Asia
Malaysia proposes revision of allowable uses for eleven chemicals, including seven used in food contact material (FCM) applications; Vietnam’s revised Law on Environmental Protection comes into effect, launches nationwide extended producer responsibility scheme for domestic producers and importers; Global Alliance for Incinerator Alternatives publishes report that chemical recycling plant in Indonesia, launched by Unilever in 2017, was “secretly shuttered” after two years; Sri Lanka proposes plastic pellets be classified as dangerous goods during maritime shipping
Slovenian study finds BPA to affect sperm quality
New study finds BPA to affect sperm quality in couples seeking in vitro fertilization; findings not statistically significant