Non-food legislation – May 2023
Revision of EU CLP Regulation
Annex VI of the CLP regulation lists notes that can be assigned to substances with harmonised classifications. These notes provide further instructions on how to classify and label certain substances or mixtures containing them. On 25 April 2023, the EC adopted an act adding new notes to the list. The EP recently published a briefing (617 kB) on the proposal for a revision of the CLP regulation.
EU PFAS restriction proposal
ECHA has published Q&A (310 kB) following an info session about the PFAS restriction proposal. The consultation on the proposal ends 25 September 2023.
Hazardous substances – More rules and regulations
The final report (1.53 MB) of the OECD’s project, led by ECHA, on the role of robust study summaries for the hazard assessment of chemicals finds they are fit for purpose. The OECD has developed harmonised templates to report the relevant information for the risk assessment of chemicals. These templates are implemented in IUCLID. EU: The EC has launched a public consultation on how to address the production for export of hazardous chemicals that are banned in the EU. Ensuring that such chemicals are not produced for export is a commitment made under the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. The consultation closes on 31 July 2023. Ukraine: SGS reports the WTO has been notified of the intention to approve the technical regulation on classification, labelling and packaging of chemical products. US: California: Keller and Heckman reports that the OEHHA has proposed lowering the "No Significant Risk Level" (NSRL) of ethylene oxide from 2 to 0.058 micrograms per day under Proposition 65. Prop 65 is a right-to-know law that requires individuals to receive a clear and reasonable warning before being exposed to certain chemicals.
Pharmaceutical rules and regulations
EU: The EC has adopted a proposal for a new Directive and a new Regulation, which revise and replace the existing general pharmaceutical legislation. Q&A can be found here.
US: The FDA has announced safety label changes for opioid pain medicines. The changes are listed in the Drug Safety Communication.
ASTM standard on labelling for products containing cannabinoids
ASTM has approved a new standard (D8449-23) that defines labelling specifications for consumer products containing cannabinoids.
Plastics and health issues
UNEP has published a technical report (8.53 MB) on chemicals in plastics. The report identifies 13,000 chemicals present in plastic of which 3200 are chemicals of concern.
The Plastic Soup Foundation has published an Open Letter (112 kB) to Frans Timmermans, signed by 25 MEPs saying that there is evidence enough that plastics are toxic and threaten our health. They ask policy-makers to put an end to ‘Plasticene’ and protect the health of EU citizens.
Chlorinated paraffins have been prohibited in Canada since 2013 due to their known health harm – but a new University of Toronto study finds they remain prevalent in many everyday household objects. Headphones and computer wires had the highest levels, followed by plastic children’s toys and toy packaging.
Aurora reports on five recent studies that evaluate the potential impacts of micro- and nanoplastics on human health as well as sources of exposure.
NVC members receive this information with all the relevant links in the monthly NVC Members-only Update. If you have any questions, please contact us: info@nvc.nl, +31-(0)182-512411