EU Parliamentarians overwhelmingly approve new directive to limit sustainability certifications and claims such as “eco friendly”, “biodegradable”, and “natural” without proof; offsets to earn environmental claims will also no longer be allowed
Microplastics are ‘everywhere’
U.S. radio station WBUR summarizes challenges and issues related to microplastics pollution
Investors urge major companies to reduce single-use plastic packaging
Investors with over $10 trillion in assets call for urgent action to reduce single-use plastic packaging in the fast-moving consumer goods and grocery retail sectors; cite environmental, climate, and public health threats posed by the entire plastics lifecycle; express concern over the financial risks to companies and investors
344 volatile organic compounds in paperboard, new study
17 uncoated food contact paperboard samples from Chinese companies studied; 344 volatile organic compounds detected including aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, ethers, esters, alkanes, and aromatic compounds plus 66 key odor compounds; 5 substances highlighted
Androgens may predispose to autism
Scientists show that androgens regulate key genes linked to autism risk and may contribute to excessive brain growth, suggest that androgens’ effects on developing brain may increase risk of developing autism spectrum disorders
Danish nano register proposal continues to stand still
European Commission sends questions to Danish government, extends nano register proposal standstill for 3 months
What’s new in bioplastics?
12th annual European Bioplastics conference discusses food brand owners’ use of bioplastics, biodegradable solutions for multilayer food packaging, and production of new polymer PEF
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
ECHA to develop positive list for drinking water contact
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) tasked with creating list of substances approved for use in materials that contact drinking water; first draft expected to contain 1,500 substances, be adopted by 2024; substance approval will be time limited and subject to reassessment
Utility of bioassays in safety assessment
Scientists demonstrate utility of bioassays in FCM safety assessment using 4-nonylphenol (4NP) as model substance; 4NP levels detected by bioassays considered relevant for safety assessment