Reagan-Udall Foundation publishes independent evaluation of the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) human foods program; provides 32 recommendations concerning agency culture, structure, resources, and authorities
Beyond BPA – Many bisphenols migrate from food packaging
Four studies investigate bisphenol (BP) migration from food packaging and human health effects; demonstrate wide presence of 11 bisphenols in polystyrene take-out food containers from China, Canada, and Poland; report material quality influences BPA migration from polycarbonate cups; indicate higher BPA migration from lined cans than plastic packaging into meat based on probabilistic models; find bisphenols A, F, and S induce genotoxic effects and changes in human endogenous retroviruses (HERVs) expression using human blood cells
EDC criteria: Latest revision and next meeting
EU Commission publishes latest version of revised criteria to identify endocrine disruptors; NGOs and industry still dissatisfied with proposed criteria; next expert meeting, and possible vote, to be held February 28, 2017
Opinion: recycled content mandates needed
Non-profit organization Reloop comments on EU Commission’s proposal for reduction of environmental impacts of single-use plastics, calls for setting recycled content mandates, high targets for recycling of beverage bottles, EU-wide deposit-refund schemes
UK retailer to phase out non-recyclable plastics by 2019
UK supermarket chain Tesco aims to ban non-recyclable plastic packaging by 2019, move towards closed loop system
MEPs propose to ban most hazardous plastics by 2020
European Parliament passes resolution on plastic waste, proposes to phase out landfilling, plastic bags and most hazardous additives by 2020
U.S. bill to ban BPA in food packaging
U.S. Senator and Representatives introduce the “Ban Poisonous Additives Act of 2016” calling for a ban on bisphenol A in food and beverage containers
Chemicals and waste in the circular economy
Waste management industry and NGO CHEM Trust respond to EC consultation, discuss which EU restrictions should apply to chemicals in recycled materials
ECHA grants over 32,000 registration numbers
ECHA issues 32,515 registration numbers for dossiers submitted by final 2018 registration deadline; 1% of dossiers rejected; non-confidential data published on ECHA’s website
ECHA strategy report highlights grouping
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publishes annual report of its Integrated Regulatory Strategy; presents results from recent review of registered substances with annual volumes greater than 100 tons, finds 56% lacking data; grouping approach helping to speed up regulatory actions, improve consistency