Introduction:

This article aims to provide valuable insights to safety professionals in the chemical industry regarding toxic chemicals, Proposition 65 warnings, and their implications for health. Proposition 65 warnings play a significant role in chemical safety, and it is crucial for professionals to be aware of their impact to ensure compliance and reduce exposure to harmful substances. Additionally, it is worth mentioning that CHEMETER, the leading SDS authoring software, takes into consideration Proposition 65 warnings to further enhance chemical safety practices.

In a move aimed at curbing plastic pollution, the European Union (EU) has rolled out new legislation, Commission Regulation (EU) 2023/2055, to regulate synthetic polymer microparticles, commonly known as microplastics.

This progressive regulation, effective from October 17, 2023, falls under Annex XVII of REACH (Registration, Evaluation, Authorization, and Restriction of Chemicals), marking a significant milestone in the battle against plastic pollution.

Time has come for importers and downstream users of industrial use only mixtures to update their poison center notifications to fully comply with the harmonized information requirements outlined in Annex VIII to the CLP Regulation. Next January 1, 2024, the second poison center compliance phase comes into force, and it is essential for companies to fully understand the changes, requirements and implications that it implies.

The European Commission has taken a significant step in safeguarding public health and environmental well-being by adopting a new regulation.

On July 14, 2023, the Commission approved Regulation (EU) 2023/1464, which amends Annex XVII to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006. The focus of this regulation is to address the risks posed by formaldehyde and formaldehyde releasers , which have been identified as highly reactive gases with potential health hazards.

• •Over 500 participants engage in the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) workshop about New Approach Methodologies (NAMs) as alternatives to animal testing in chemical hazard assessment.
• •The workshop, which was held on 31 May and 1 June, focused on achieving a common understanding of NAMs' potential in reducing regulatory dependence on animal testing and expediting their regulatory acceptance.
• •This way, ECHA reaffirms its commitment to supporting the development of new methodologies, contributing to future EU chemicals regulation, and collaborating internationally for faster progress.

Although the Canadian government prohibited the manufacture, use, sale and import of three subgroups of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS1) (PFOS, PFOA and long-chain PFCAs) in 2012, the latest scientific evidence and the regulatory measures from other jurisdictions made the Canadian authorities to look for further evidence about PFAs’ long lasting effects on human health and the environment.

The aim of this investigation is to “address the danger of broad class PFAS because there is scientific evidence indicating PFAS used to replace regulated PFOS, PFOA, and long-chain PFCAs may also be associated with environmental and/or human health effects”, as explained in the Canada Gazette in April 2021.