19 June 2020

Food Contact News – June 2020

EUROPE

GOVERNMENTS CREATE WEBSITE COMPILING EDCS ACROSS EU
Government agencies from six EU member states launch new website containing sets of substances identified as endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) or currently under review for ED properties; separated into three sets recognized on the EU level, national level, or currently under review

In a press release published on June 2, 2020, the Danish Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the launch of a new webpage presenting lists of identified and potential endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in the EU. The site is hosted by the Danish EPA and has been developed with national authorities from Belgium, Denmark, France, the Netherlands, and Sweden. The site is described as aiming to “inform stakeholders about the current status of substances identified as EDCs or under evaluation for endocrine disrupting properties within the EU.” Separated into three lists, the site provides (i) a list containing substances identified as EDCs at the EU level, (ii) a list that includes substances being evaluated for endocrine disrupting properties under EU legislation, and (iii) substances identified as EDCs at the national level by at least one of the participating EU member states.

 

 

NORTH AMERICA
THE NATIONAL TOXICOLOGY PROGRAM PUBLISHES REPORT ON PFOA
The report reveals the toxicity of PFOA

The National Toxicology Program (NTP) published a report on perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA). The report, titled, Toxicology and Carcinogenesis Studies of Perfluorooctanoic Acid Administered in Feed to Sprague Dawley (Hsd:Sprague Dawley SD) Rats, May 2020, concludes that 2-year feeding studies provided clear evidence of carcinogenic activity of PFOA in male rats and some evidence of carcinogenicity of PFOA in female rats. PFOA was recently classified by the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) as being possibly carcinogenic to humans (Group 2B). In addition, PFOA, along with PFOS, are currently listed as developmental toxicants under California’s Proposition 65.