Minutes from recent meetings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) CEP panel and working groups on bisphenol A (BPA), food contact materials (FCMs), recycling plastics, and phthalates published; groups continue discussions and revisions of draft opinions; new working group on re-evaluation of phthalates and structurally similar substances in FCMs launched
EU plastics strategy published
European Commission adopts EU-wide strategy for plastics in the circular economy, aims to make all plastic packaging recyclable, reduce single-use plastics, ban intentional microplastics
EFSA working group updates in May, June, and July 2020
Minutes from recent meetings of the EFSA CEP panel and working groups on BPA, FCMs, and recycling plastics published; scientific opinions on benzophenone‐3,3′,4,4′‐tetracarboxylic dianhydride (BDTA), multiple recycling processes published
Industry pushes for EU-wide regulation
Beverage carton and flexible packaging industry groups call for harmonized, EU-wide legislation for all types of food contact materials
Stakeholders want EU-wide FCM regulation
European Parliamentary Research Service assesses implementation of FCM regulation in stakeholder survey; majority in favor of harmonized EU-wide regulation for all types of FCMs
ECHA 2015 REACH evaluation report
ECHA reports on evaluation activities in 2015; finds data gaps for the majority of evaluated substances of high concern; encourages registrants to update their dossiers
U.S. EPA: updates on substance risk evaluations
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalizes identification of next 20 high-priority substances for risk evaluation, includes 12 food contact chemicals; still reviewing public comments on low-priority substances
EU Parliament debates single-use plastics
EU Parliament debates directive on reducing marine litter from plastics, including restrictions for specific single-use plastic products; final vote scheduled for October 24, 2018
EFSA recycling plastics group: 6th meeting
EFSA’s CEP Panel’s working group on recycling plastics 2018-2021 continues discussing draft scientific opinions on several plastic recycling processes; minutes of the 6th meeting now available online
100 substances in CoRAP for 2019-2021
ECHA publishes list of 96 substances planned to be evaluated by EU Member States in 2019-2021 under the Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP)