European elections will be taking place from 23rd – 26th May 2019, with more than 400 million people eligible to vote across 28 Member States. Voters will elect over 700 Members of the European Parliament (MEPs), who have the power to amend proposed EU laws, contribute to EU policy making and will cross-examine and vote on [...]
EU Commission
CHEM Trust has highlighted for nearly five years, that the current EU laws regulating the chemicals used in food contact materials (FCM) such as food packaging, cutlery, and factory equipment do not properly protect public health. Many materials, such as paper, card, inks and linings are not controlled by harmonised EU-level laws, and where harmonised laws [...]
We are all exposed to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from everyday sources, including food contact materials, cosmetics and toys, and these are linked to a range of health concerns. In 2017 the EU Commission announced that it would develop a new strategy to minimise exposures of EU citizens to endocrine disrupters beyond pesticides and biocides. [...]
It has already taken many years of debate for the EU to agree on criteria for identifying endocrine disrupting pesticides and biocides as a first step for regulatory controls. However, exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) from various other sources, including from food contact materials, cosmetics and toys are leading to concerns about impacts on health [...]
For over four years CHEM Trust has been calling for the EU to review its ineffective laws regulating chemicals in chemicals in Food Contact Materials (FCM) like food packaging. On September 24th, the European Commission invited a wide range of stakeholders to a workshop in Brussels to (finally!) launch this review. As we have highlighted [...]
The European Union is currently relying on a 19 year old strategy for much of its work on Endocrine (Hormone) Disrupting Chemicals (EDCs), chemicals that can disrupt the sensitive endocrine system of people and wildlife. The European Commission is now consulting on a ‘Roadmap’ “Towards a more comprehensive EU framework on endocrine disrupters”, which is [...]
In its Plastics Strategy, published in January this year, the EU Commission announced it had tasked ECHA to collect background information and review the scientific basis for taking regulatory action at the EU level regarding intentionally added microplastics in products. CHEM Trust has participated in the first step of the process by responding to ECHA’s call [...]
In 2014 CHEM Trust published a detailed study of the increasing evidence that human and veterinary medicines are damaging wildlife. Three years later, the European Commission has just completed a consultation on a proposed “Strategic approach” to pharmaceuticals in the environment. CHEM Trust’s response to this consultation argues that the “issue of pharmaceuticals in the environment [...]
Last week another milestone was reached in Europe`s slow and ineffective process to protect our health and environment by reducing exposures to pesticides and biocides with harmful endocrine disrupting (ED) properties. On January 31st a public consultation on the draft guidance document for identifying endocrine disrupters closed. This guidance is important because describes how industry and [...]
Today, the 16th January 2018, the EU Commission released its long-expected Plastics Strategy. The Strategy includes an announcement that the Commission has started the process to ban both intentionally added microplastics and oxo-degradable plastics. Both these bans will be implemented as Restrictions under the EU’s main chemicals law REACH. The Commission also announced a a [...]
