CONSUMER PROTECTION

Mexico has updated through NOM-001-SCFI-2018 its mandatory standards for certain electronic products for household use in an effort to further reduce the risk of fire, electric shock, mechanical hazards, optical radiation, thermal hazards, and biological and chemicals hazards. More

Denmark is to go ahead with a proposed ban on all organic fluorinated compounds in paper and cardboard food packaging materials in advance of EU-wide action, the country's Ministry of Environment and Food has said. The proposal, first revealed in February, has been put to external consultation and is expected to take effect in July 2020. According to the ministry, “these substances represent such a health problem that we can no longer wait for the EU”. More

The U.S. Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) announced on 20 September that it has added Hong Kong to the list of regions considered to be affected by African swine fever (ASF). The agency noted that the veterinary authorities of Hong Kong reported on 12 May an occurrence of ASF to the World Organisation for Animal Health. More

The EU has expressed concerns over the presence of microplastics in aquatic environments following the outcome of a recent study. The study aimed at exploring the potential sources of these microplastic particles, and if and how different forms of treatment affected their concentrations. The EU underlines that more research is needed in the field of microplastic pollution of drinking water, so as to avert the potential threat to the environment and human health. More