Non-food legislation – October 2020

Chemicals in the EU
The EC has adopted the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, the first step towards a zero pollution ambition for a toxic-free environment announced in the European Green Deal.
ECHA has announced that the EU Chemicals Legislation Finder EUCLEF will be updated with 16 additional pieces of legislation in 2021, bringing the total to 51.

REACH, CLP and POPs
ECHA reports that the harmonised requirements for poison centre notifications following CLP Annex VIII will start to apply stepwise from 1 January 2021. As a response to certain concerns raised by companies, the EC has adopted an amendment which includes practical solutions that will help companies meet their obligations. The next update to the guidance, which is now available in 23 languages, will also include the changes brought by this second amendment.
Germany has submitted a proposal to ECHA to restrict the use of BPA in the EU along with any structurally related bisphenols of similar concern for the environment. A call for evidence is open until 15 January 2021.
A recent survey (932 kB) by ECHA, examining imports of products into the EU, has found that 23% of inspected products were non-compliant with REACH and CLP.
ECHA reports that as of 2 November 2020, following the next release of IUCLID, companies must provide a name for the (sets of) nanoforms of their substance when registering nanomaterials under the REACH Regulation. ECHA also reports that the extension of the manual completeness checks to include chemical safety reports has been postponed.
SGS reports that the EU recently published (EU) 2020/1203 and (EU) 2020/1204 amending the POPs regulation (EU) 2019/1021.

Aluminium, PFAS and EDCs
EFSA has set a new safety threshold for the main PFAS that accumulate in the body. The threshold – a tolerable weekly intake (TWI) of 4.4 ng/kg body weight – is part of a scientific opinion on the risks to human health arising from the presence of these PFAS in food. FPF reports that a website for the Global PFAS Science Panel has been launched.
FPF also reports that Client Earth lawyers have published a report (499 kB) presenting a 3-point action plan to improve current EU rules on EDCs. CHEM Trust has launched a website on EDCs.
Research (1.49 MB) by RIVM shows that the total aluminium exposure is not harmful to health.

US: California’s Proposition 65 regulation
FPF reports that the OEHHA has launched a 45-day public comment period on a set of 22 (groups of) chemicals undergoing consideration for listing under California’s Proposition 65 regulation.

Pharma: barcodes for medicine and labelling of breast implants
ISO has recently published the updated technical specification ISO/TS 16791 specifying barcodes on medication packaging.
The US FDA has issued the final guidance on labelling recommendations for breast implants to help improve the available information about the risks.
 

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