Industry news provider reports on new EU commissioners responsible for duties affecting plastics
EFSA comments on misleading communication of BPA risks
Low health concern associated with BPA aggregate exposure was not acknowledged in communication materials to make them “accessible” to non-specialist audiences, EFSA claims
EC comments on EFSA’s communication of BPA risk assessment
DG SANTE informed CHEM Trust that communication on BPA risk assessment is EFSA’s responsibility, JRC works on EU regulation for non-plastic FCMs
Letter from EU Health Commissioner on FCM concerns
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety responds to CHEM Trust regarding concerns with current EU food contact material legislation, recognizes stakeholder concerns, promises to move ahead with prioritization of harmful substances including endocrine disruptors
Researches develop and evaluate methods for food contact chemical determination
Propose method to analyze chemical markers of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) from printing inks in food packaging; present workflow that includes in silico prediction tools to identify nonvolatile migrates from food packaging; evaluate efficiency and reliability of methodology for non-target identification of volatile substances
Opinion: Scientists call European Commission’s proposed EDC regulation over-precautionary
Group of scientists calls for maintaining chemical regulation’s status quo; toxicologist and pharmacologist express concern that the forthcoming EDC regulation will not be based on science and erase established risk assessment approaches
Consumers perceive compostable packaging as most sustainable, report says
McKinsey report investigates consumers’ attitudes toward sustainability in food packaging; finds hygiene & food safety, as well as shelf life are most important aspects to consumers; consumers think compostable and plant-based packaging is the most sustainable, metal containers among least sustainable
Analysis of chemically non-compliant products
European Chemical Industry Council (Cefic) analyzes European RAPEX database on non-food products, finds 92% of tested and non-compliant REACH chemicals found in products were imported from outside of Europe; calls for improved enforcement and tools
Researchers detect chemicals present in and migrating from PET bottles
Two studies analyze polyethylene terephthalate (PET) chemicals; identify several volatile chemicals present in and migrating from new PET bottles as well as from bottles commercially available in Japan; develop online method for quantifying non-intentionally added substances (NIAS)
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