Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) publishes overview report on plastic types, additives, and associated health impacts; illustrates life cycle of contained chemicals and resulting exposures; calls for revisions to regulations to be protective, consistent, anticipatory, communicative
September 8, 2020
Gulf states draft standard for polyethylene bags
Standard sets list of allowed additives and monomers in line with previous EU regulation, bans use of recycled materials; open for comment until November 2, 2020
September 7, 2020
15th amendment to EU plastic FCM regulation published
European Commission publishes final text further amending Regulation 10/2011 on plastic food contact materials and articles; includes introduction of approved use of new substances, updates specific migration limits, allows for migration testing of entire food processing equipment
August 24, 2020
Bamboo in plastic FCMs not authorized in the EU
European Commission’s Working Group concludes that bamboo-based additives are not authorized per se for use in plastic food contact materials in the EU; business operators to explicitly demonstrate safety by migration testing; migration of melamine, formaldehyde of high concern; additional concerns about misleading labeling and advertising
August 18, 2020
How to regulate polymers?
Chemical Watch commentary addresses the nature of polymerization reactions, provides technical background information explaining the challenges in the registration of polymers under REACH
August 14, 2020
Growing demand for mono-material packaging
Report by Smithers predicts compound annual growth rate of 3.8% for mono-material plastic packaging films on global market; sees fast growth for polyethylene and polypropylene, slow growth for regenerated cellulose fiber, decline for polyvinyl chloride materials
July 30, 2020
Uruguay and Paraguay consult on positive list of FCM additives
Governments publish positive lists of additives allowed in food contact materials (FCM); adoption would bring national regulations in line with Mercosur Resolution GMC 39/19
July 29, 2020
Japan revises existing substances list
Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) publishes draft lists of existing substances for use in synthetic food contact resins; set to be consolidated into final positive list announced in April 2020; revisions open for public comment
July 28, 2020
EU could apply tax on non-recycled plastic packaging waste
European Council agrees €0.80 tax per kilogram on non-recycled plastic packaging waste starting January 1, 2021; exact law still needs to be developed and then approved by European Parliament and Council of the EU
July 24, 2020
Pew Charitable Trust report evaluates plastic pollution scenarios
Analysis calculates current commitments will only reduce plastic pollution flows into oceans by 7%; implementing all feasible solutions now could cut pollution by up to 78%; authors call for urgent and coordinated action by all stakeholders, redirecting all current and future investments away from virgin plastic infrastructure
