Sulfuryl fluoride: Global warming potential higher than estimated

The Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) is part of the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). BPC opinion pursuant to Article 75 (1)(g) on sulfuryl fluoride in PTs 8 and 18. The request concerns the monitoring data from remote tropospheric air, which the authorisation holder submitted to the European Commission to comply with the decisions on the approval […]

Risk to bees from fipronil: call for data

Fipronil molecular formula: C12-H4-Cl2-F6-N4-O-S The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is calling on national authorities, research bodies, industry and other interested organisations to submit new information related to the risk to bees from the insecticide fipronil. The call for data was requested by the European Commission, which in 2013 imposed restrictions on the use of […]

EU: Community Register on the addition of vitamins and minerals and of certain other substances to foods

Section A: List of the vitamins and minerals which may be added to foods as listed in Annex I of Regulation (EC) No 1925/2006 and as amended by Commission Regulation (EC) No 1170/2009 Minerals fluoride _______________________________________________________ Section B: List of the vitamin formulations and mineral substances which may be added to foods as listed in […]

PFOA restriction would `effectively ban’ fluoropolymers

A proposed REACH restriction on the use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) in the EU would effectively prevent the use of all fluoropolymers in products, say two electronics trade bodies. PFOA is a processing aid for manufacturing fluoropolymers, which are used in the electronics, textiles and automotive industries, to name a few, for their heat, water, […]

Scientists recommend mercury-free fillings for children and pregnant women

For the first time, the European Commission’s scientific committee on health is recommending the use of mercury-free dental fillings instead of amalgam for children’s baby teeth and in pregnant patients.In its final opinion on amalgam, the European Union government’s Scientific Committee on Emerging and Newly Identified Health Risks (SCENIHR) concluded that “it can be recommended that […]

Europeans vote 7 to 1 to phase out amalgam

Dental amalgams, known to many of us by the deceptive term “silver fillings,” are 43 to 54% mercury.  The mercury from amalgam causes far-reaching problems… read more Like the United States, the European Union (EU) signed the new mercury treaty, the Minamata Convention on Mercury.  But unlike the United States, the EU government asked the […]

EU legislation to control F-gases

To control emissions from fluorinated greenhouse gases (F-gases), including hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), the European Union has adopted two legislative acts: the ’MAC Directive’ on air conditioning systems used in small motor vehicles, and the ‘F-gas Regulation’ which covers all other key applications in which F-gases are used. The MAC Directive prohibits the use of F-gases with […]

JRC-IRMM releases series of uranium hexafluoride reference materials

JRC-IRMM re-characterised and issued new certificates for the entire series of uranium hexafluoride certified reference materials (IRMM-019 to IRMM-029). These CRMs represent a unique set of reference materials to be used in process control, nuclear material accountancy and safeguards verification measurements in enrichment plants. Enrichment is one of the proliferation sensitive stages of the nuclear […]