Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) meeting finds antioxidant UV-328 (TINUVIN-328) fulfills all four criteria for screening as Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP) under the Stockholm Convention; next step is the preparation of a draft risk profile for the widely used plastic additive
January 21, 2021
Test finds majority of FCAs contain DEHP
Swedish Chemicals Agency (KEMI) finds endocrine disrupting chemical bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP) in 48 of 60 (80%) of tested paper/board food packaging items; detects also dibutylphthalat (DBP) and Bisphenol A (BPA)
January 20, 2021
ECHA adds organotin chemicals as SVHCs
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) includes dioctyltin dilaurate (CAS 3648-18-8) and several other organotin compounds to candidate list of substances of very high concern (SVHCs)
January 19, 2021
“Plastic Health” web channel launched
Plastic Soup Foundation launches “Plastic Health” web series discussing latest scientific evidence; announces publication of expert opinions, interviews on hazards of microplastics, nanoplastics, and additives
January 19, 2021
France to require EDC declaration in 2022
French government releases draft decree aiming to provide transparency on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in consumer products; sellers will need to provide product information to public platform; French ministries of Health and the Environment will release list of proven, presumed and suspected EDCs; decree expected to take effect on January 1, 2022
January 6, 2021
US EPA restricts PBT substance PIP (3:1)
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) issues list prohibiting food contact chemical phenol isopropylated phosphate (3:1) (PIP (3:1)) under Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA); EPA will ban processing, distribution and release in water of PIP (3:1); currently under assessment in EU for endocrine disrupting as well as persistent, bioaccumulative, and toxic properties
January 5, 2021
EU Commission plans EDC hazard classes within CLP
European Commission announces plan to create new hazard classes for endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) within the EU’s Classification, Labeling, and Packaging (CLP) Regulation; industry stakeholders criticize decision, call for addressing EDCs via REACH Regulation; civil society groups welcome change; further discussion planned for February 2021
December 17, 2020
EU court confirms BPA as SVHC for endocrine effects on wildlife
Industry association PlasticsEurope loses third court case challenging legal classification of bisphenol A (BPA) as substance of very high concern (SVHC); EU General Court supports European Chemicals Agency’s recognition of BPA’s endocrine disrupting effects on wildlife
December 17, 2020
EFSA: Draft opinion on NMDR open for consultation
European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) draft opinion reviews literature on assessment of non-monotonic dose responses (NMDRs), finds lack of standards for statistical approaches; suggests stepwise approach for ambiguous ‘apparent’ NMDRs; approach applied in two case studies finds no NMDR for bisphenol A (BPA) but does for di(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP); open for comments until February 4, 2021
December 16, 2020
Report focuses on plastics, EDCs, and health
Guide developed by Endocrine Society and International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) informs public interest organizations and policy-makers about presence of endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in plastics; explains impacts of EDCs on human health, considers economic dimension
