Non-food legislation – February 2025

Hazardous substances - rules and regulations
EU: In January 2025, the EC presented the Competitiveness Compass (389 kB), providing a strategic and clear framework to steer the Commission's work. The revision of the REACH Regulation is included. It will cover the EU acquis and new initiatives on chemicals, bringing simplification on the ground and ensuring faster decision-making on important hazards, as well as sustainability, competitiveness, security and safety. The REACH revision is also included in the EC work programme 2025 that was published on 11 February 2025.
The EP ENVI Committee has adopted its position on the so-called ‘one substance one assessment’ (OSOA) package. The reform is part of the 2020 2020 EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. The Helmholtz Modernizing Hazard Indicators (ModHaz) project has published a Policy Brief (3.05 MB) highlighting the need for modern, efficient assessment methods for chemicals in view of the increasing complexity and quantity of substances.
Singapore: SGS reports that the government has published two amendments to regulate two classes of chemicals (MCCP and LC-PFCA) as hazardous substances. The changes apply from 1 August 2025.

EU: Medicines for human and veterinary use
EDQM reports that the EU Pharmacopoeia Commission has adopted three new general chapters on plastic materials for containers. All three texts will be published in issue 12.1 of the European Pharmacopoeia in July 2025, with an implementation date of 1 January 2026.
In December 2024, EMA published version 9.1 of the veterinary QRD product information template in English. The template is available in multiple languages.
EMA has also published the results (1.22 MB) of a pilot exploring the creation and testing of ePIs (electronic product information) in existing regulatory procedures. The pilot found that the EU regulatory system is generally prepared for the introduction of ePI and can move towards its phased implementation, while recognising the need for more development, including additional functionalities and integration with current IT systems.

Legislation electronic cigarettes and cigars
NL: Legislation has been published (in Dutch) making neutral packaging mandatory for electronic vapour products (also known as electronic cigarettes or vapes) and cigars as of 1 July 2025. Rules on standard packaging for cigarettes and roll-your-own tobacco has already been in force since 1 October 2020.
Norway: Draft legislation on standardised packaging for e-cigarettes and refill containers, both with and without nicotine, has been sent to the EC.

Research
UNM researchers have detected microplastics in human brains at much higher concentrations than in other organs – and the accumulation appears to be growing over time, having increased 50% over just the past eight years. The study (6.3 MB) is published in Nature Medicine.
In a review article (1.33 MB) published in the Archives of Gynecology and Obstetrics, Maltepe University researchers evaluate the impact of microplastics on female reproductive health.
In an article (2.34 MB) published in Environmental Science & Technology, Stockholm University researchers give an overview of potential alternatives for the multiple uses of PFAS. A University of Missouri researcher has discovered a new method to remove PFAS from drinking water.
 

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