UK government urged to restrict PFAS in packaging

Letter from stakeholders including civil society groups and actor Mark Ruffalo asks UK ministers to restrict per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in paper and board food packaging; petition to UK supermarkets collecting public signatures

Study finds lack of data on PFAEs

Report from Nordic Council of Ministers reviews public information available for per- and polyfluoroalkylether substances (PFAEs); identifies 394 substances, find more than half do not exist in public chemical databases; limited data on identity, production, and uses

What U.S. states consider in regulating PFAS

White paper by Environmental Council of States (ECOS) reviews and compares regulations on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by U.S. states; identifies state agencies’ considerations and unanswered questions that will influence future regulation

EFSA publishes scientific opinion on PFAS in food

European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) latest draft opinion proposes group tolerable weekly intake (TWI) limit of 8 ng/kg body weight for 4 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); opens public comment period until April 20, 2020, plans technical workshop in Brussels on March 12, 2020

OECD webinar on EU’s PFAS strategy

Organisation for Economic Co-Operation and Development (OECD) to hold webinar with representative from DG Environment on February 25, 2020; feature presentation on recent PFAS restrictions in EU, strategy for moving forward

Conference on EU food contact regulations

Chemical Watch hosts conference covering European and global regulations on food contact materials, risk assessment, and circular economy; two-year delay in the evaluation of FCM legislation announced

Study measures PFAS in UK food packaging

Fidra publishes report testing for presence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in 92 samples of fiber-based food packaging from UK supermarkets and take away restaurants; finds 18 have total organic fluorine levels above background concentration; highest concentrations in molded fiber take away boxes

U.S. state lawmakers focus on developing PFAS legislation

Analysis from Safer States finds 29 U.S. states currently considering over 180 chemicals policies; focus placed largely on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) with 13 states specifically considering restrictions on PFAS in food packaging; Wisconsin opens online survey for PFAS Action Council until February 21, 2020

Retailer initiative, Hollywood film draw attention to PFAS pollution

Fashion retailer H&M and Danish retailer Coop join ChemSec initiative calling for phase-out of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from products and supply chains; Belgian premier of film ‘Dark Waters’ includes panel debate in European Parliament with director and lead actor

Bill to amend FDCA, ban PFAS in food packaging

Senator Bernie Sanders introduces bill to amend the Federal Food, Drug and Cosmetic Act, deem all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) ‘unsafe for use in food contact materials’