News and Comment from PFA
Neonicotinoids – EU restriction goes ahead, but the science is uncertain
June 3rd, 2013
Neonicotinoids are a class of insecticides with a common mode of action that affects the central nervous system of insects, causing paralysis and death. They are systemic insecticides, meaning they enter every part of the target plants – including the pollen and nectar. A number... read more »
The dangers of omitting exposure assessment from REACH submissions
April 28th, 2013
Many registrants have made the interpretation that in REACH, if a registered substance is not classified on the basis of available data, then exposure assessment and risk characterisation are not required (even at high tonnage). In our opinion, this position is not often a... read more »
REACH 2012 Review
March 23rd, 2013
Part of the REACH legislation is that its guidelines are reviewed as the programme progresses. This means that the legislation can be changed to respond to scientific advances. In 2012 two important aspects reviewed were the Registration requirements for low tonnage substances (manufactured or imported... read more »
Some evaluative comments on REACH so far
February 19th, 2013
By early 2013, thousands of registrations of existing substances of high tonnage or priority have been submitted for REACH registration. Chemicals of lower tonnage bands have also been processed. REACH registration has brought to light significant properties of many substances, and this information has... read more »
European Food Safety Authority Evaluation of Aspartame
February 18th, 2013
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has scrutinized aspartame for its safety as use in food as an artificial sweetener, since its use was initially approved in the U.S. The sweetener is metabolised into aspartic acid, methanol and phenylalanine, constituents which have given basis... read more »
2012 Updates to ECHA Guidance
January 16th, 2013
In recent months ECHA has published online some significant and useful updated guidance to registrants. Particularly significant developments have affected the endpoint-specific guidance for physical chemistry (part R7a of the Guidance on information requirements and chemical safety assessment; substantially revised layout and content); the... read more »
Obama’s second term and the chemical industry: regulation and opportunity
January 9th, 2013
A recent article in Chemistry World (December 2012) highlighted two contrasting responses to Barack Obama's continuing occupancy of the White House. Some in industry see him as supporting increasing regulation, thereby making trading conditions harder in the US. Others see increasing regulation as providing... read more »
Welcome to our new website
December 19th, 2012
Hello and welcome to PFA's updated website! We do not like to stand still on anything, including this site. We want to make it a place you will want to come back to. Over the last few years we have expanded from a small group of... read more »
