The long process of establishing EU criteria to identify hormone (endocrine) disrupting chemicals (EDCs) continues to stutter forward, with a new proposed texts from the European Commission. These texts, coming just a few weeks since the last texts, fail to address our concerns regarding the burden of proof needed, and introduce a whole new loophole which aims to allow … [Read more...] about A bad Xmas present: new EDC criteria proposed by European Commission should be rejected (Update 22nd of December)
EFSA
Scientists call for an end to the manipulation of science on hormone disrupting chemicals
Nearly 100 leading scientists from universities and research institutes around the world have joined forces to underline the urgent need for action on climate change and hormone (endocrine) disrupting chemicals (EDCs). In a commentary, 'Let's stop the manipulation of science', (also available in French), published by Le Monde last week, they warn that vested interests are … [Read more...] about Scientists call for an end to the manipulation of science on hormone disrupting chemicals
Laws regulating chemicals in food packaging are not good enough, European Parliament says
The European Parliament has today overwhelmingly backed a report calling for substantial improvements in the laws covering the chemicals that are used in food packaging and processes, and which can leach into the food we eat. They also called for a ban on the use of the hormone disrupting chemical Bisphenol A in all food contact materials. … [Read more...] about Laws regulating chemicals in food packaging are not good enough, European Parliament says
Chemicals in food contact materials: A gap in the internal market, a failure in public protection
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
EU Parliament starts inquiry into regulation of chemicals in food packaging as concerns mount
Our food comes into contact with a whole range of food contact materials made from industrial chemicals, from food packaging to pipes. The EU has laws that are supposed to regulate the safety of these chemicals, but they are full of gaps and largely ignore some key issues. A number of events in recent weeks have emphasised the scale of the problem, while the European Parliament … [Read more...] about EU Parliament starts inquiry into regulation of chemicals in food packaging as concerns mount
EU Conference on hormone disrupters: What did we learn?
CHEM Trust was among the many participants in yesterday’s European Commission conference on hormone (or endocrine) disrupting chemicals (EDCs). The Commission's Health Department (DG Santé) had organised the conference to discuss the next steps of an impact assessment on the potential socio-economic impacts of draft criteria to identify EDCs. Once finalised, these criteria will … [Read more...] about EU Conference on hormone disrupters: What did we learn?
EU Food Authority responds to letter on misleading communication on Bisphenol A risks, claims ‘simplification’ for ‘accessibility’
On Friday 17th April we finally got a response to our letter to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) on why their press release & public briefing on 21st January had stated that there was 'no health concern' from the hormone disrupting chemical Bisphenol A (BPA), when their expert panel had actually stated that there was a 'low health concern'. The letter from EFSA's … [Read more...] about EU Food Authority responds to letter on misleading communication on Bisphenol A risks, claims ‘simplification’ for ‘accessibility’
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?
Bisphenol A – new EFSA assessment cuts safe exposure level, calls for more research (updated)
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) have today published the opinion of their CEF scientific panel [1] on the risks to public health related to the presence of bisphenol A (BPA) in foodstuffs. [See end of this blog item for a challenge to the EFSA assessment from the National Food Institute at the Technical University of Denmark] In this opinion they have cut their … [Read more...] about Bisphenol A – new EFSA assessment cuts safe exposure level, calls for more research (updated)