BPS Joins BPA Ban in Thermal Paper
Switzerland has initiated a ban on bisphenol A (BPA) and bisphenol S (BPS) in thermal paper that will take effect in June 2020, and Costco Canada just announced it has committed to phasing out BPA and BPS-coated thermal paper by the end of 2019.
BPA is a synthetic compound that has long been used in the production of a range of consumer products, including dyes used in thermal receipt paper, polycarbonate plastics, and epoxy resins. It is a known endocrine disruptor due to its ability to mimic naturally occurring human hormones in the body. Regulatory agencies worldwide have recognized the harmful effects of BPA and have banned its use in certain products related to human exposure, namely in children’s products and food and beverage containers. Manufacturers have responded to consumer and regulatory concerns related to BPA by using alternative bisphenol compounds such as BPS.
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Human Biomonitoring Initiative Takes Flight in Europe
A human biomonitoring study involving 28 countries in Europe has launched amongst increased interest to study the impacts environmental exposure have on human health. The study, termed HBM4EU, began in 2017 and will run through 2021. The study group includes all citizens, but there is a focus on particularly vulnerable groups including children, pregnant women, and workers. A complete overview of the HBM4EU study can be accessed here.
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Halogenated Flame Retardant Ban in EU
The European Union (EU) intends to ban the use of halogenated flame retardants in the electronic display enclosures of several categories of major household items, including televisions, computers, and refrigerators. Citing the Ecodesign Directive (2009/125/EC) the regulations would take effect in March of 2021. While the ban will certainly address the issues of direct human health effects from the flame retardants, a major goal for this initiative is to increase the ability to recycle numerous plastic housings and stands used in everyday items. For more information on the ban, please click
here.
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Update on Nitrosamine Standards – NMBA Now Available
In the April 2019 publication “The Standard” we reported initial development of new native and isotopically labeled standards for N-nitroso-N-methyl-4-aminobutryic acid (NMBA), a potential human carcinogen that has received high interest lately as an impurity in certain ARB (angiotensin II receptor blocker) blood pressure and related medicines. We are happy to update that we have completed this synthesis, and these standards are now available along with our entire suite of nitrosamine standards.
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