A very short entry on how REACH and GHS are impacting one company: Two new chemical regulations, REACH and GHS, will enter into force in 2008, to improve the protection of human health and the environment from the harmful effects of chemicals. REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorisation and restriction of Chemicals) applies to manufacturers and importers […]
From Semiconductor International: The European Union’s Registration, Evaluation, and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) program, signed into law June 1, 2007, has cost implications that could make manufacturing in Europe overly expensive, said Dawn Speranza, an Intel Corp. environmental, health and safety (ESH) engineer… By 2010, REACH requires that the chemicals used in high volumes, or […]
An article from the Royal Society of Chemistry: Agrochemical producers have warned that amendments to new European Union legislation on pesticides will lead to a drastic reduction in the crop protection agents available to farmers if they become law. The European Parliament backed the changes on 23 October, voting in favour of tighter safety rules […]
From The Baltimore Sun: On Monday Greenpeace released a report criticizing Apple’s iPhone for containing environmentally hazardous chemicals. “Steve Jobs has missed the call on making the iPhone his first step toward greening Apple’s products. It seems Apple is far from leading the way for a green electronics industry as competitors like Nokia already sell […]
From FoodProduction Daily.com: Informal discussions are taking place on working documents from the Commission, that could go on to form the basis of harmonised EU rules governing plastic materials and articles in contact with food, the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) reported. Harmonising the rules would make it easier for processors to trade under the […]
From Health Canada: Health Canada is reviewing its policy on the use of precautionary statements for food allergens such as “may contain …” and other similar label statements to provide better information to the consumer. These statements are used by industry to identify when priority food allergens may have unintentionally been introduced into foods during […]
From Occupational Health and Safety: A complete U.S. ban on production, manufacture, and distribution of asbestos is suddenly within sight, after the U.S. Senate’s unanimous approval Oct. 4 of S. 742, the Ban Asbestos in America Act of 2007… S. 742 would amend the Toxic Substances Control Act; establish a national mesothelioma registry within one […]
Reuters details another case of the EU finding aflatoxins in food products: The European Union has tightened food safety rules on peanuts from Brazil due to high levels of a cancer-causing chemical in shipments, officials said on Friday. The decision, taken by a panel of EU-27 national food safety experts, was designed to limit the […]
USA Today on chemical product safety regulation in the U.S. and E.U.: U.S. and European Union product safety officials are hammering out ways to work more closely on toy safety issues… U.S. rules allow five times more lead and lead paint in toys than in Europe, says Helen Kearns, a spokeswoman for Kuneva. Kuneva is […]
The Washington Post on the labeling of cough medicines: Autor said the unapproved products are made by some 100 manufacturers. The FDA said it was particularly concerned about improper pediatric labeling of unapproved hydrocodone cough suppressants — also known as antitussives. None of the drugs that contain hydrocodone has been approved for children younger than […]