Minutes available from recent meetings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel) working groups on food contact materials (FCMs), bisphenol A (BPA), recycling plastics, phthalates, and extraction solvents
February 4, 2022
Study finds BPS may be as harmful as BPA
Cross-sectional study with over 1200 participants finds relation between bisphenol S (BPS) and heart disease; BPS is commonly used to replace bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging and other products
December 22, 2021
Court confirms BPA classification as a substance of very high concern
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) and ClientEarth win appeal case brought by lobby group PlasticsEurope; EU Court of Justice confirms ECHA listing of bisphenol A (BPA) as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) due to its endocrine-disrupting properties for humans; PlasticsEurope cannot appeal again
December 17, 2021
Mercosur updates plastic food packaging regulation
South American trade bloc to no longer allow bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic food contact articles designed for children under 3 years old, lowers migration limit from other plastic FCAs; sets migration limits for 9 metals from plastic FCAs; adds substances to positive list for plastics and for cellulosic materials
December 17, 2021
EFSA proposes to lower daily tolerable intake of bisphenol A
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) re-evaluation proposes to significantly lower the tolerable daily intake of bisphenol A (BPA) from 4 to 0.00004 micrograms per kilogram of bodyweight per day due to immune system effects; finds many consumers likely exposed beyond the new safe limit; feedback accepted on the draft opinion until February 22, 2022
November 23, 2021
Canada mandates reporting on use of BPA and alternatives
Department of the Environment now requiring reporting from all manufacturers, importers, and users of bisphenol A (BPA) and over 180 alternative substances during the year 2019; includes commercial status, downstream uses; March 16, 2022 set as deadline for data submission
November 4, 2021
New US certification focuses on chemicals
Center for Environmental Health and Clean Production Action launch a certified standard for single-use food service ware; three-tiered certification based on the use of safer chemicals; certified products must be recyclable or compostable and cannot contain any chemical from the certification’s restricted list including PFAS, ortho-phthalates, and bisphenols above 1ppm
November 3, 2021
EFSA CEP Panel updates from July to October 2021
Minutes available from recent meetings of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel) working groups on food contact materials (FCMs), bisphenol A (BPA), recycling plastics, phthalates, and extraction solvents
October 20, 2021
French Competition Authority: companies potentially concealing BPA in food packaging
The French Competition Authority alleges that 14 trade associations and 101 companies had agreements not to communicate about the use or removal of BPA from metal-containing food packaging in France; authority has not released names of the companies, but Nestle has released a statement denying the allegations
January 4, 2021
OEHHA readds BPA as reproductive toxicant
Developmental endpoint added again to reproductive toxicity listing of bisphenol A (BPA) under California’s Proposition 65; ends eight-year long legal dispute between American Chemistry Council (ACC) and Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA)
