JULY 2024

Dear Reader,

This year has marked an amazing milestone for Formacare and the formaldehyde industry: we are celebrating our 20 years anniversary!

20 years of dialogue with regulators, of developing the best scientific data and of partnering with downstream users organisations, all in support to science-based legislation. In Formacare, we are not afraid to say that the European legislation on formaldehyde is a regulatory success story, and we cannot be more proud to have been a credible partner to authorities in these developments.

Our celebration was notably marked by our General Assembly dinner which took place on June 25th in Brussels. We are sharing some pictures with you below on this.

What else? We have been partnering with the US National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) so that the story of the discovery of formaldehyde in space is told – check our video below. We still have a few communication ideas that we will continue to roll out in the coming months (follow us on LinkedIn to make sure you do not miss anything).

We are now looking up to new challenges for the next 20 years, as this is a formality for formaldehyde.

On this, I wish you all a very enjoyable summer break.

Yours sincerely,

Lars Eric Johansson

FORMACARE UPDATES

Formacare celebrated its 20 years anniversary with long time stakeholders and industry partners

The Formacare team and members were delighted to celebrate together the 20 years of the industry group, on the occasion of its General Assembly dinner on June 25th, in Brussels.

This was the opportunity to invite founding members of Formacare, as well as retired colleagues who supported for years the industry. The invitation was further sent to partners, such as IndustriAll, the European Trade Union Confederation (ETUC) and the European Chemical Employers Group (ECEG), to celebrate the past ‘Formaldehyde Value Chain Alliance’ which successfully supported state-of-the-art legislation for the protection of workers across Europe. Downstream users organisations such as European Panels Federation (EPF) were also invited, in view of the constant collaboration across the supply chain.

The dinner was also the occasion to reminisce ourselves with all the great stories and achievements of Formacare and its partners over the years. Together, we looked forward to future partnerships and for 20 more years of successful outcomes.

ADVOCACY UPDATES

Formacare delivered top notch input with industry partners on defending melamine

In February 2024, the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) issued a draft recommendation for the prioritisation for authorisation under REACH of a group of chemical substances. Melamine, an essential raw material for the manufacturing of amino resins, is among the list.

In the context of this regulatory procedure, Formacare worked with the European Melamine Producers Association (EMPA), the European Panel Federation (EPF) and other partners, to submit information requested by ECHA in May. In parallel to this consultation, Formacare also shared with the European Commission a socio-economic assessment of the impact if melamine would no longer be allowed for use in the production of amino resins in Europe. It could be noted that ECHA accurately reported the views of the industry to the Member States Committee (MSC) that is consulted on the draft recommendation.

Formacare and its partners are now monitoring the situation and are ready to engage with the competent authorities for REACH on this matter, to ensure that the ongoing procedure will not lead to disproportionate impact on the melamine value chain.

Read more about the ECHA recommendation to authorise melamine under REACH.

Formacare continues to challenge scientific outcomes that formaldehyde may cause myeloid leukaemia

On 14 November 2023, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) released an opinion (in French) suggesting a causal link between formaldehyde and myeloid leukaemia. In the months which followed this opinion, Formacare respectfully disagreed with these conclusions which do not present new scientific evidence establishing a direct connection between formaldehyde exposure and myeloid leukaemia in humans. These conclusions are thus at odds with existing EU risk assessments.

Currently, there has been to date no decision adopted in France on the basis of the views of ANSES, although Formacare expects that such a decision will be taken in 2024. In particular, it is possible that France adopts an occupational disease grid linking formaldehyde exposure and an increased risk to get myeloid leukaemia. This remains however to be confirmed.

In light of this, Formacare continues to call on the French authorities to consider all the scientific literature on the matter, which goes beyond the evidence provided by ANSES. We also urge the European Commission and ECHA (European Chemicals Agency) to uphold a science-based approach for the regulation of formaldehyde and in the future.

We understand that this topic may raise concerns, and we want to assure our partners and stakeholders that Formacare remains committed to ensuring transparency in all our practices and available evidence.

IARC unveils its 2025-2029 Monographs priorities: formaldehyde to be assessed again

In April 2024, the International Agency for Research on Cancer (IARC) issued its 2025-2029 Monographs priorities on the identification of carcinogenic hazards to humans. Formaldehyde is identified as a priority to be addressed within the next 5 years.

It should be noted that formaldehyde has already been assessed twice by the IARC Monographs programme, in 2004 and in 2012.

IARC justifies its decision in view of scientific evidence on the occurrence of new tumours sites in human, from formaldehyde exposure. Formacare is currently investigating the matter. A more detailed report was announced for publication by the IARC in 2024.

CASE STUDIES

Formacare partners with astrochemists to tell the story of formaldehyde discovery in space

Formaldehyde is a naturally occurring substance but many people are unaware that it also exists in space We still have not figured out how, in these extreme environments, a chemical reaction can occur.

Fascinated by this story, Formacare partnered with the National Radio Astronomy Observatory (NRAO) to get to know more about how formaldehyde was discovered in space: we interviewed Dr Anthony Remijan, Astrochemist and Assistant Director, Science Support and Research at the NRAO. He explained to us why this discovery was so important and why astrochemists continue today to search for formaldehyde in space.

The teaser video and full interview are available on our YouTube channel below.