German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) publishes minutes of advisory committee meeting discussing European and German legislation on FCMs, migration issues, novel substances for food contact
BfR opinion on EFSA’s PFOS, PFOA evaluation
German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment publishes opinion supporting tolerable weekly intake levels for PFOS and PFOA developed by European Food Safety Authority; reconfirms earlier 2008 statement that consumer health risk in Germany exists
Chemicals of concern in the circular economy
Scientists find one-fifth of brominated flame retardants’ content in recycling streams is transferred to new products; discuss trade-offs between consumer safety and resource efficiency; European officials maintain toxics can be managed within the circular economy
BfR: 17th Meeting on contaminants in food chain
German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) publishes meeting minutes of its commission for contaminants in the food chain; discusses PFASs and mineral oil hydrocarbons
European Bioplastics conference discusses bioplastics’ role within Green Deal
16th annual European Bioplastics conference focuses on role of bioplastics in EU policies, new opportunities of compostable plastics and their performance in the open environment, measuring and communicating sustainability of bio-based plastics, bioplastics market development, and applications
BfR Annual Report 2015 released
Annual Report 2015 of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) includes topics relevant to food contact materials and human health, e.g. silver nanoparticles, microplastics
BfR: Lack of safety data for impurities in unrefined MOAH
German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) publishes review article identifying lack of data on carcinogenic potential of less refined mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH), recommends minimizing impurities in food
BfR warns against contaminants from azo dyes in FCMs
German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment measures migration of 4 chemicals associated with azo dyes in paper food contact materials; finds migration levels to exceed estimated safe intake levels; recommends materials containing the substances be avoided until more toxicity data available
FPF Workshop 2020: Hazardous chemicals in FCMs
Stefan Merkel presents recent work of German Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR); Lisa Zimmermann discusses bioassay-based toxicity assessment of conventional plastics, bioplastics, and plant-based materials; Andrew Turner emphasizes presence of toxic brominated flame retardants in recycled plastics, uses of hazardous heavy metals in colored decorations applied to glass articles
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