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IPEN CEWE Regional Highlights

Dear friends and colleagues,
although Central, Eastern and Western Europe was hit hard by another COVID19 wave in the first months of 2021, IPEN Participating Organization in our region didn't rest. They produced a great amount of inspiring outputs. I am happy to share with you a very short selection of some of the regional highlights for the first half of this year.
Best regards
- Jan Samanek, IPEN CEWE regional coordinator.

REPORTS

CIEL launched an analysis of the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, focusing on the global policy aspects of the Strategy. It lays out the EU’s commitments toward global chemicals management and details practical steps to achieve these commitments over the next few years. Download the report here.

ALHem, Arnika and Zelena Akcija were involved in a pan-European research that found hazarouds substances in sports equipment sold on European market. SVHCs were detected in 20 samples (24%). Nine samples (11%) contained SVHCs above 0.1%, which means that companies have to inform consumers on request about their presence under the EU REACH chemicals regulation. The study was a part of the Life Ask REACH project. More information can be found here.

ChemSec published a report called “What goes around”, addressing the importance of a circular economy free from substances of concern. The financial chapter is particularly interesting, since an analysis of the market opportunities of a circular economy without problematic chemicals has never been done before.

Eight European environmental NGOs (including several IPEN Participating Organizations) participated in a study on PFAS in food contact materials. Out of 42 samples sent for analysis, 32 samples including packaging from major global fast-food chains such as McDonalds, KFC, Subway or Dunkin Donuts showed an intentional treatment with PFAS. The results were published by a number of news outlets and heavily promoted on social media. The study can be found here.

WEBINARS

HCWH organized a webinar on chemicals in food contact materials in European healthcare.

Arnika in cooperation with CIEL, ChemSec and CHEMTRUST organized a webinar on EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and its global impact.

ChemSec prepared a webinar on the essentials of PFAS testing. During this webinar, Gunnar Thorsén, test expert from IVL, provided an overview of the most important issues concerning testing for PFAS, for example the different types of tests and how to interpret the results.

ChemSec organized a webinar on "essential use" concept. In which products and processes can we accept the use of substances of concern? This is a burning hot question in the chemicals policy debate and the main issue of the webinar.

ChemSec organized a webinar on chemical recycling. It is a chance to learn more about the possibilities and limitations of the current chemical recycling technologies.

SHORT NEWS

At the beginning of February, a large amount of municipal waste arrived with a flood on the Tisza river (copper, zinc) from Romanian tailing dam to Hungary. Heavy metal pollution was identified.
EEB released a new circular economy guidelines focused on Western Balkans (Albania, Bosnia & Herzeovina, Kosovo, Republic of North Macedonia, Montenegro, Serbia) and Turkey. Experts from 2 IPEN POs (Green Home ,Montenegro and Environmental Ambassadors for Sustainable Development, Serbia) contributed to the study.
HCWH Europe has launched a new network aimed at engaging doctors in our work to create a more sustainable healthcare sector in Europe. Doctors for Greener Healthcare will bring together clinical leaders from across Europe to collaborate, learn, share best practice, and advocate for a healthy future by reducing the environmental impact of healthcare.
HEAL submitted several positions on EU policies (Public consultation on the Sustainable Use of Pesticides Directive, proposal for identification of Bisphenol B as SVHC under REACH, proposal for identification of the group of PDDP substances as SVHCs under REACH). They also worked with CHEMTRUST on commenting the EC proposal for CLP hazard class for EDCs and the proposal for update of the REACH Annexes in relation to endocrine disruption properties.
HCWH Europe, with the input and support of 18 leading health and environmental organisations (including Hej!Support, WECF or Arnika), has released a paper presenting a detailed insight into the complexity of health and environmental issues associated with the entire life cycle of PVC. All current evidence supports the simple proposition that PVC is problematic and that it presents significant, often avoidable health issues - the paper also includes examples of already successful phase-outs of PVC.
Hej!Support launched the first issue of their magazine Hej!Youth.

...and of course, there has been much more done by other IPENers in our region.
If you have some interesting story about your work please don't hesitate to let me know or share the news with the listserve.

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Arnika (IPEN CEWE regional hub) · Arnika · Seifertova 327/85 · Prague 13000 · Czech Republic