PlasticsEurope publishes infographics on FCMs

European industry association publishes infographics on food contact materials, provides overview of substance migration and risk assessment process

U.S. EPA: updates on substance risk evaluations

U.S. Environmental Protection Agency finalizes identification of next 20 high-priority substances for risk evaluation, includes 12 food contact chemicals; still reviewing public comments on low-priority substances

EFSA to re-assess phthalates again

EU Commission plans to ask EFSA to do yet another risk assessment of phthalates in plastic food contact materials, look at endpoints other than reproductive toxicity

EFSA calls for information on FCM No. 19 and 20

European Food Safety Authority requests technical and toxicological information on two amines approved as additives in plastic food contact materials (FCMs) to review and potentially update initial assessments; declaration of intent to submit information required by January 20, 2020

ECHA ‘maps’ REACH chemicals

European Chemicals Agency publishes ‘map of chemical universe’ assigning over 21’000 REACH-registered chemicals into regulatory action-based ‘pools’; the majority (86%) not yet evaluated

Human exposure to BPA systematically underestimated

New study shows that different measurement methods lead to large discrepancies in BPA human body burdens; human population exposed to higher levels of BPA than estimated using standard method; human health risk of BPA likely underestimated

EEA report discusses chemical pollution

European Environment Agency state of the environment 2020 report examines chemical pollution in Europe; recommends moving away from individual risk assessments towards grouping, using less hazardous chemicals across life cycle to improve circularity of economy

EFSA opinion on wood flour and fibres

EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) concludes that information supporting the current authorization of wood flour and fibres for use in plastic food contact materials is ‘insufficient’; criteria for future evaluations of plant materials for use as plastics additives address migration and toxicological evaluation of migrants

Study appraisal for BPA reassessment

European Food Safety Authority completes study appraisal methodology for BPA reassessment; final version of assessment protocol to be published later with new BPA opinion

FDA accused of ‘willful ignorance’ regarding BPA

U.S. NGO Environmental Health News criticizes FDA’s approaches to designing and performing CLARITY-BPA study, interpreting its results; presents results of own investigation suggesting intentional manipulation, potential industry influence