4th International Conference on Chemicals Management held from September 28 to October 2, 2015 in Geneva, Switzerland; majority agreement on EDC resolution
EFSA stakeholder workshop on small particles and nanoparticles in food
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) presentations provide guidance on small particles in food and feed applications (i) evaluating the potential presence of particles in ‘conventional’ materials and (ii) how to perform nano-specific risk assessment; stakeholders share experience and discuss practices to implement guidance cost-effectively
Controversy over DINCH
McGill University study shows exposure of pregnant rats to DINCH results in liver metabolism impairment and ‘testicular atrophy’ in the male progeny; BASF scientists depict study as ‘flawed,’ maintain that DINCH is safe for use in food contact applications
Phthalate exposure and health impacts
Four scientific articles report on phthalate exposure sources and impacts; diet partly explains urinary phthalate levels in adolescents and children surveyed in the US and New Zealand; review of reviews summarizes human health impacts; finds studies on women “generally underrepresented”; study indicates three phthalates affect human oral health
Commission breaches EU law and treaty
European Parliament passes resolution on endocrine disruptors and condemns Commission’s illegal delay in setting scientific criteria for EDCs
The NORMAN Suspect List Exchange (NORMAN-SLE): facilitating European and worldwide collaboration on suspect screening in high resolution mass spectrometry
BPS affects maternal behavior
Exposure of pregnant and lactating mice to human-exposure-relevant dose of bisphenol S (BPS) impairs maternal behavior, what can lead to lower offspring survival; behavioral effects also seen in daughters of exposed mice
BPA masculinizes female brains
New results from FDA’s BPA low dose study show significant effects on female rat brains at lowest dose
Behavior and labeling interventions to reduce plastic pollution
Three studies research plastic labeling shortcomings, effectiveness of behavioral interventions; article recommends plastic labels should include sustainability scale, provide regional disposal instructions, and list additives; review considers bigger picture, stakeholder diversity, and several techniques to increase effectiveness of behavioral interventions to reduce single-use plastic consumption; study finds social media does not affect consumer’s intentions to recycle plastics
Another step towards a UN plastics treaty
Peru and Rwanda introduce a draft resolution to negotiate a global plastic pollution treaty at the inaugural United Nations Ministerial Conference on marine litter and plastic pollution; 33 countries sign on as co-sponsors; more than 80 other nations support a UN resolution on plastics