As we reflect on 2023, CHEM Trust has compiled some of our key news stories from the past year. We have covered issues from the health risks associated with bisphenol A (BPA) to a PFAS pollution crisis and the global contamination of wildlife with flame retardant chemicals. Despite the challenges, positive changes are underway.

People in All Age Groups are at Risk from BPA in their Diet

In April, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) concluded that the health of people in all age groups, including young children, is at risk from bisphenol A (BPA) in their diets. This conclusion came following a review of more than 800 scientific studies, which led EFSA to significantly reduce the tolerable daily intake for BPA (the amount of a substance that a person can ingest daily without risk to their health) by around 20,000 times.

In response, the European Commission announced it intends to ban bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials (FCMs), including in plastic and coated packaging. To avoid replacing BPA with other harmful substances they must extend this to other bisphenols.

Read the full news story here.

PFAS Water Contamination Scandals Unfold Across Europe

In 2023, the reality of a widespread PFAS contamination crisis became even more apparent. PFAS water contamination scandals hit headlines across Europe, and the issue made it into courtrooms. This included contaminated mothers demanding action in Italy, and a mapping project that found over half of Brussels’s drinking water to be contaminated with PFAS.

Read more on the crisis and solutions in the full news story here.

Will the EU Banish Hormone Disruptors in Toys?

In July 2023, the European Commission published a proposal to ban hormone disrupting chemicals from toys. The proposal is part of the revision of the Toy Safety Directive, the EU legislation that sets out safety criteria for toys before they can be marketed. The ban would include both known and suspected hormone disruptors – making it the first time ever that these chemicals are prohibited in an entire category of products.

Read the full news story here.

Flame Retardant Chemicals Contaminate over 150 Species Worldwide

In October, researchers from the Green Science Policy Institute created a map to display data on global flame retardant contamination of wildlife. The data, which were compiled from over two decades of peer-reviewed scientific studies, revealed that over 150 species of wildlife, distributed across every continent, are contaminated with flame retardant chemicals.

Read the full news story here.

Harmful Chemicals found to be ‘Ubiquitous’ in Everyday Consumer Products

Also in October, the European Consumer Organisation, BEUC, published a report providing an overview of chemical testing on consumer products carried out by consumer organisations in Europe from 2017 to 2023. Their analysis concluded that harmful chemicals are ubiquitous in everyday consumer products, but that safer options are available.

Read the full news story here

CHEM Trust looks forward to sharing more news stories with you in 2024 as we continue to work towards a world in which people and nature are protected from harmful chemicals. For news that arrives straight into your inbox, subscribe to our newsletter here.

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