Impactful updates to environmental, health and safety regulations and assessment methods for chemicals, advanced materials and foods headline our latest new roundup.

Canada adopts a CEPA overhaul with strengthened chemicals management

The Canadian Environmental Protection Act, 1999 (CEPA) is being updated for the first time in twenty years to explicitly recognise that every individual in Canada has a right to a healthy environment. The new regime will retain a risk-based approach to regulation, prioritising prohibiting toxic substances with risk of persistence and bioaccumulation, as well as criteria for carcinogenicity, mutagenicity, and reproductive toxicity. Over the next two years, the Government will develop an implementation framework in consultation with interested Canadians.

European safety assessment of nanomaterials

The EC's Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) has published its 2nd revision of Guidance on the Safety Assessment of Nanomaterials in Cosmetics, introducing the new European Commission recommendation for a definition of nanomaterials. New sections in the guidance document cover solubility and dissolution rate, solubility in non-aqueous media, evidence for the absence of nanoparticles, dispersion, aspect ratio, uptake into blood cells, reproductive toxicity, and endocrine disruption.

Updates on European chemical safety evaluation

The European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) has published its fifth report on the use of alternatives to testing on animals for the REACH Regulation. The latest update of the European Scientific Committee on Consumer Safety (SCCS) guidance on testing for cosmetic ingredients also provides updates on animal-free alternative methods, including in-silico prediction. It also includes a review of exposure data and new requirements for reporting endocrine active substances.

FDA's new approach to reviewing chemicals used in foods

The US Food and Drug Authority (FDA) is embarking on a more modernized, systematic reassessment of chemicals used in foods, including routine monitoring of products after they are on the market. This, combined with additional requirements for the industry to share new data and information, will allow the FDA to prioritise based on risk and target resources toward chemicals that warrant in-depth post-market review.

Japan and China update lists of chemicals with mandatory reporting requirements

Both the Chinese Ministry of Ecology and Environment (MEE) and the Japanese Ministry of Economy, Trade and Industry (METI) added to their lists chemical substances for which production or import volumes must be reported due to concerns about environmental risk and human safety. However, the Japanese also removed six chemicals from their watch list, reclassifying them as "general chemicals", including o-dichlorobenzene, methyl dodecanoate and chlorodifluoromethane.

The US EPA proposes reforms to the new chemical review process

Proposed amendments to the new chemical review process require the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to make safety determinations on all new chemicals before they can enter the market, placing them in one of five categories defining the actions that manufacturers or importers must take to protect the environment and human health.

VTT Technical Research Centre of Finland developed a new sustainable electrocardiogram patch

The new wearable is made of nanocellulose printed with carbon conductors and sensing electrodes and is fully recyclable.

Mars bars undergo paper packaging trials in the UK

The new candy packaging is fully recyclable. Several other manufacturers have also moved to paper packaging, and the UK government has announced a ban on single-use plastics such as plastic cutlery, plates and polystyrene trays.

The XB100 list recognises companies commercialising scientific research with positive societal impact

The inaugural list, announced by XPRIZE and Bessemer Venture Partners, includes UBQ Materials, Impossible Foods, Solugen, Upside Foods, and Sila Nanotechnologies.

The 2023 SEAL Business Sustainability Award winners were announced and included Sappi North America

Each year, the SEAL Awards recognize the 50 most sustainable companies in the world and the most impactful and innovative Environmental Initiatives. Sappi North America was recognized for significant water savings and energy efficiency at their Cloquet paper mill.