EFSA working group on FCMs: 28th meeting

Updated meeting minutes of EFSA’s CEF Panel working group on food contact materials now available online

How to improve risk assessment of FCMs?

Article in Environmental Health Perspectives discusses shortcomings in current risk assessment of food contact materials, features expert opinions

Plastic straws to be banned

UK Environment Secretary pushes for ban on plastics straws; EU Commission’s vice-president says EU law on single-use plastics expected before summer 2018

EU regulation on BPA in FCMs published

EU Commission issues new regulation on the use of bisphenol A in plastic food contact materials, varnishes and coatings, infant ‘sippy’ cups; applies from September 6, 2018

Webinar on EU circular economy

Chemical Watch holds webinar on EU Commission’s Circular Economy Package, February 14, 2018; focus on interface between chemicals, products, waste

U.S. hearing on international cancer research agency

U.S. Congress hearing on International Agency on the Research for Cancer addresses future funding; critics question agency’s scientific integrity; defenders talk of industry-lead campaign to discredit IARC’s monographs on carcinogens program

EU Commission’s plastics plan: Challenges ahead

News outlet Euractiv publishes special report on packaging and environment; featured articles and interviews address circular economy and plastics strategy unveiled by EU Commission

ECHA recommends 7 SVHCs for authorization

ECHA prioritizes 7 substances of very high concern to be added to REACH Authorisation List; 6 substances potentially relevant for food contact

Dispute over latest SVHC entry of BPA

Industry groups say the latest decision to identify BPA as SVHC for endocrine disruption effects in the environment is ‘disproportionate’ and lacks regulatory value; ECHA comments that this entry will impact the scope of the authorization requirement

Antimony trioxide an anticipated carcinogen

U.S. National Toxicology Program’s draft Report on Carcinogens monograph supports listing antimony trioxide as ‘reasonably anticipated to be a human carcinogen based on sufficient evidence from studies in experimental animals’