Food packaging, factory equipment, food utensils - almost everything we eat has been in contact with one or more of these items. The EU’s laws should ensure that chemicals used in these materials are safe, but they do not go far enough and contain holes. These holes – for example a lack of harmonised rules on paper and card, inks, coatings and adhesives – mean that public … [Read more...] about Chemicals in food contact materials: A gap in the internal market, a failure in public protection
Bisphenol A
EU discussing new restrictions on bisphenol A in food contact materials
The European Commission recently published a ‘road map’ proposing options for increasing controls on the use of hormone disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials. CHEM Trust has been concerned about the health and environmental impacts of BPA for many years, and in our view, it should be phased out of all food contact applications. However, as we point … [Read more...] about EU discussing new restrictions on bisphenol A in food contact materials
EU Chemical Agency committee agrees that Bisphenol A in receipts poses risk to workers
The hormone disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA) is used in many till (cash) receipts, and the French government has proposed that the EU should ban this use. This proposal has been under discussion in the Risk Assessment Committee (RAC) of the European Chemical Agency (ECHA), who have just stated that they agree with the French government that this chemical presents a risk to … [Read more...] about EU Chemical Agency committee agrees that Bisphenol A in receipts poses risk to workers
Chemical found in till receipts affects parenting behaviour in mice
New research, published today [1,2], finds that low doses of a chemical that leaches from many till receipts and food cans, can change the behaviour of female mice towards their offspring. The chemical, bisphenol A (BPA), has already been banned from use in baby bottles, and the French government has asked for an EU-wide ban on its use in thermal paper till receipts [3]. The … [Read more...] about Chemical found in till receipts affects parenting behaviour in mice
Turtles could be the latest casualties of hormone disrupter bisphenol A
The sex of painted turtles (Chrysemys picta), native to fresh waters of North America, is normally determined by the temperature the eggs are exposed to during development, but new research shows the commonly used hormone disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) can disrupt this process. BPA, which is present in a number of household products including food can linings and till … [Read more...] about Turtles could be the latest casualties of hormone disrupter bisphenol A
REACH helps the circular economy clean up, facilitating sustainable recycling
On 24th March I took part in an event in Brussels, organised by EurActiv, discussing the relationship between the REACH chemicals regulations and the Circular Economy, in particular the interaction between REACH & recycling. The other panelists included representatives of the European Commission (both DG Environment and DG Growth), the plastic pipe industry and an MEP, Paul … [Read more...] about REACH helps the circular economy clean up, facilitating sustainable recycling
EFSA corrects its risk assessment of bisphenol A to acknowledge that experts didn’t say ‘no health concern’
CHEM Trust have discovered that the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have admitted that the abstract of January's risk assessment of the commonly used hormone disrupting chemical bisphenol A incorrectly stated that there was 'no health concern'. CHEM Trust wrote to the EU Health Commissioner on 25th February complaining about EFSA's misrepresentation of the risk … [Read more...] about EFSA corrects its risk assessment of bisphenol A to acknowledge that experts didn’t say ‘no health concern’
We write to EFSA: Why did you misrepresent the results of the Risk Assessment of Bisphenol A?
CHEM Trust have written to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to ask them why they misrepresented the results of their risk assessment of the commonly used hormone disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA). The risk assessment, published in January, concluded that there was a 'low health concern' from exposure to bisphenol A - yet the EFSA press release said there was 'no … [Read more...] about We write to EFSA: Why did you misrepresent the results of the Risk Assessment of Bisphenol A?
New research strengthens link between hormone disrupting bisphenol A and diabetes
New research, published today in the Endocrine Society’s journal Endocrinology, finds that exposure of mice to the widely-used hormone disrupting chemical bisphenol A (BPA) during pregnancy may raise a mother’s susceptibility to weight gain and diabetes later in life. As the press release for the study states: … [Read more...] about New research strengthens link between hormone disrupting bisphenol A and diabetes
EU Commission replies to our letter on misleading communication of Bisphenol A risk assessment, and on study into chemicals in food contact packaging
The European Commissions DG Santé (Health) has now replied to a letter we sent to Commissioner Andriukaitis on 25th February, challenging the way in which the European Food Safety Agency (EFSA) had communicated the results of an expert panel’s assessment of the safety of Bisphenol A (BPA). … [Read more...] about EU Commission replies to our letter on misleading communication of Bisphenol A risk assessment, and on study into chemicals in food contact packaging
