Webinar: Learn more about the risk assessment of phthalates used in plastic food contact materials

Post author:HEEDS
Post published:March 14, 2019
Post category:Master_Posts

March 15, 2019
10:30-11:30 (GMT +01:00)
Sponsored by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).

On 6 February 2019, the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel) endorsed its draft opinion on five phthalates that are authorised for use in plastic food contact materials (FCM): DBP (dibutyl phthalate), BBP (butyl benzyl phthalate), DEHP (Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate), DINP (diisononyl phthalate) and DIDP (diisodecyl phthalate), thus updating its previous risk assessments of 2005.

Before adopting the opinion, EFSA will hold a public consultation to gather feedback from all interested parties. In this webinar, which will take place at the beginning of the public consultation phase, you will be guided through the main parts of the draft assessment and the CEP Panel’s approach to the assessment.

The European Commission’s mandate to EFSA on this issue was triggered by a proposal from the European Chemical Agency (ECHA)to restrict some phthalates, including DBP, BBP and DEHP. EFSA has therefore used the same evidence available to ECHA for its work. In addition, EFSA’s assessment deals – both in terms of exposure and hazard assessment – with two other phthalates authorised for use in plastic FCM, i.e. DINP and DIDP. The whole risk assessment focuses on potential health risks resulting from the combined exposure of consumers to all five phthalates.

During the webinar, participants will be invited to submit questions that EFSA will answer orally and/or in writing during the event. EFSA will publish a recording of the webinar on its website.

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