Preventing cancer from environmental pollutants: Infographic

Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL) and the European Cancer Leagues publish set of infographics illustrating role environmental pollutants play in causing cancer; call for revisions to EU food contact materials legislation to reduce hazardous chemical exposures

Webinar on key characteristics of hazardous chemicals

Food Packaging Forum holds webinar with presentation from Martyn Smith on the identification of key characteristics to support chemical evaluation; introduces concept and recent key publications; recording now available to watch

EU committee against EDC thresholds, calls for bans in FCMs

European Committee of the Regions (CoR) publishes resolution on European Green Deal; advocates against setting safe threshold levels for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), calls for a ban on bisphenols and phthalates in all food contact materials (FCMs)

Outcome of public consultation within EU EDC fitness check

European Commission publishes results of public consultation within fitness check of EU legislation on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs); finds that majority of respondents believe EU laws do not protect them from exposure to EDCs, that EDCs have been insufficiently identified across sectors

Article discusses toxic chemical exposure and COVID-19

Environmental Health News calls for reducing public’s exposure to toxic chemicals within food packaging, processed foods; cites studies linking COVID-19 death risk to existing chronic conditions, calls out chemicals as exacerbating the problem

Immunomodulatory effects of EDCs

Scientists review studies reporting that some endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) can affect development and functions of human immune cells; consequences include altered responses to infections and development of immune related diseases; food contact material (FCM)-relevant immunomodulatory EDCs include bisphenols, phthalates, triclosan

Stakeholder survey on EDC fitness check

European Commission publishes feedback received from targeted stakeholders for fitness check of legislation on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDC); survey respondents find current lack of harmonized criteria problematic, current legislation not protecting human health and the environment

Infographic and fact sheet on EDCs and women’s health

Health and Environmental Alliance (HEAL) partner with EU-funded FREIA project to summarize current understanding of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) and impact on women’s reproductive health, outline needs within EU legislation

Scientific consensus statement on food contact chemicals and human health

Group of 33 international scientists publish peer-reviewed statement identifying seven specific areas for improvement, urge decision makers to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals present in food packaging and other contact food contact materials

New European commissioner targets non-toxic material cycles

European Commissioner for the Internal Market (DG Grow) commits to removing hazardous substances from material cycles in first address to Parliamentary committee on environment; aims to harmonize rules for substances of very high concern (SVHCs), update REACH legislation to manage endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs)