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The August 7 deadline marks the end of a process that started in January when an EU Regulation withdrawing the use of titanium dioxide as an additive in food products was adopted.

Great Britain will not follow the European Union in banning titanium dioxide as a food additive at this time, but the ban will apply in Northern Ireland as a result of the Northern Ireland Protocol.

The UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) said after reviewing the evidence, no safety concerns had been identified, which means there will not be a change to regulation in England and Wales. Food Standards Scotland (FSS) also reached the same conclusion.

The FSAI said food containing titanium dioxide that is lawfully placed on the EU market before 7 August 2022 may remain on the market until its date of minimum durability or its ‘use-by’ date has passed. Food produced or placed on the market after 7 August 2022 cannot contain titanium dioxide.

“All food businesses currently using titanium dioxide as a food additive have a legal responsibility to comply with the requirements of Regulation (EU) 2022/63, banning the use of titanium dioxide. The FSAI encourages food businesses to source suitable alternatives to titanium dioxide and start the process of reformulation now to ensure compliance in advance of the ban coming into force on 7 August 2022,” a spokesperson said.

The European action was based on an assessment by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) in May 2021 which raised potential concerns over accumulation of titanium dioxide particles in the body and possible genotoxicity. Genotoxicity is the ability for a substance to damage DNA, which may lead to cancer.

In early 2022, the European Commission adopted a ban on the use of titanium dioxide as a food additive after member state backing in late 2021. Because of a six month transition period, it will apply from August 7 this year.

The additive is widely used to give a white colour in foods such as cakes and pastries, confectionery or food supplements.

Stella Kyriakides, who is in charge of EU health and food safety, previously said the safety of food and consumer health was non-negotiable.

“This is why we ensure strict and continuous scrutiny of the highest safety standards for consumers. A cornerstone of this work is to make sure that only safe substances, backed by sound scientific evidence, reach our plates,” she said.

The FSA’s scientific advisory committees reviewed the EFSA opinion and found that the evidence did not support the conclusions made. In the United States, the additive may be used under certain conditions set by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA).

The FSA and FSS are doing a risk assessment on the substance that should be ready for early 2023.

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The Oireachtas Health Committee Report on Pre-Legislative Scrutiny of the General Scheme of the Public Health (Tobacco and Nicotine Inhaling Products Bill) was published by the Oireachtas Health Committee on July 15.

The Association contends that the proposals contained in the Report will delay the crucial under 18 ban and damage progress on the policy objective of a Tobacco Free Ireland by 2025.

In the Report, the Oireachtas Health Committee made a number of recommendations including:

• The regulation of flavouring of e-cigarettes and all flavours except for tobacco*
• Restriction of the sale of e-cigarettes to those under-18
• Restriction of the sale of e-cigarettes in certain outlets
• Restrictions of the use of brightly coloured packaging
• Prohibit all forms of e-cigarette advertising and promotions, including on billboards, online on all social media platforms, and influencer marketing methods

VBI contends that, if all of the recommendations of the Committee are considered, which are outside the current remit of the general scheme of the Bill, then this will cause further delays in the passage of crucial legislation to ban the sale of vaping products to those under the age of 18 – which VBI has been calling for since 2015.

The logistical realities of incorporating amendments mean that it could be months, possibly years before youth access will be prohibited by law, it says.

As the leading industry body, VBI participated in the plenary sessions of the Health Committee hearings, where it provided evidential proof, based on international best practice, of the efficacy of vaping as a harm reduction tool.

The Association said it is gravely disappointed to learn that the Report does not provide a balanced representation of the independent details made available to the Committee in advance, during and after the Association’s appearance.

Furthermore, the Association says the Report fails to recognise the significant body of national and international expert evidence which supports vaping as a harm reduction tool for adult ex-smokers. The Association fears that this failure has the potential to undermine the Government’s commendable ambition of achieving a Tobacco Free Ireland by 2025.

Spokesperson for Vape Business Ireland, Eoin O’Boyle said: “VBI welcomed the opportunity to present to the Oireachtas Health Committee as part of the pre-legislative scrutiny process, to shed light on the significant body of national and international evidence, which demonstrates the efficacy of vaping as a harm reduction tool.

“Despite our developed submission, replete with independent evidence, the Report has prioritised claims from stakeholders who pointed to outdated evidence, as well as research which falls short of international standards; not least an IPSOS survey which consisted of only 16 teenage participants.

“If Ireland is to achieve its ambitious goal of reaching a 5% smoking rate by 2025, it would be prudent not to restrict the tools at our disposal and take heed of the UK’s Making Smoking Obsolete Report conclusion that ‘we must not let the pursuit of perfection to become the enemy of the good’, which includes policy recommendations to boost vaping as a tool to moving away from smoking.

As an industry, we are deeply concerned that some of the proposed recommendations made in this Report will lead to a delay in the enactment of the legislation, which could undermine the whole purpose of it, and that of the overarching ambition of a Tobacco Free Ireland.”

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The new research by safefood has revealed that eight in ten people in Ireland agree that so-called “junk” food advertising aimed at children should be banned (80.2%), while almost seven in ten (69.4%) of respondents’ support restrictions on marketing of unhealthy foods to adults.

In particular, the research revealed high levels of public acceptance for policies that supported healthier food environments for children. These included educational campaigns focusing on children in school; healthier vending machines in schools; and new restrictions on developing fast-food outlets near schools. Meanwhile, just under half (47.3%) think portion sizes in restaurants and fast-food outlets should be restricted as a measure to address obesity.

The research also reveals that 80% of people recognise that obesity poses a serious public health challenge. Previous safefood research had estimated that overweight and obesity was costing the island’s economy approximately €1.6 billion per year in direct and indirect costs.

1 in 5 primary school children in Ireland have overweight or obesity. Among adults, 60% live with overweight (37%) or obesity (23%).

The research coincided with the All-Island Obesity Action Forum hosted in Belfast by safefood in partnership with the Departments of Health in both Ireland and Northern Ireland The event brings together leading experts from the United Kingdom and the island of Ireland to explore a range of policy approaches to address overweight and obesity, and public support for such policies.

Dr Aileen McGloin, Director of Nutrition with safefood, said: “Overweight and obesity are the most serious long-term public health issues we face and tackling them poses complex challenges for policy makers, society and the Irish economy.

“People are becoming more and more aware of these rising rates of overweight and obesity. Our research shows the public is ready for a range of policies for children and adults to address this and benefit them.

“There’s already strong work happening at a policy level in Ireland. Of note is the establishment of nutritional standards in pre-school settings, the introduction of the sugar sweetened drinks tax and work in food reformulation. By identifying those policies that have strong public backing, we can better support and empower people to make healthier food and lifestyle choices. This has the potential to create lifelong, sustainable changes which can benefit current and future generations, our society and the economy in Ireland.”

The safefood research demonstrated high levels of public support for government-led policies aimed at tackling childhood obesity, with over two-thirds backing the ban of vending machines with unhealthy snacks and drinks in schools (77.8%) as well as a majority backing planning restrictions on the opening of fast-food outlets close to schools (66.5%).

Nine in ten respondents also endorsed healthy school meals (91.8% for primary schools and 90.6% for secondary schools), educating children on food prep skills at all schools (91.7%), while 85.3% believe children should receive a minimum of 30 minutes of exercise in school each day.

The research also found that nine out of ten respondents (88.8%) supported policies requiring meals sold or provided at private and public sector workplaces to meet a healthy standard of nutrition.

For more information and to download the report “Public acceptability of policies to address obesity”, visit: www.safefood.net/news.

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The vote was held up as a major victory for the climate, during a day of intense voting on laws that make up the EU’s green deal.

The final law still has to be negotiated with the EU’s 27 national governments but the vote in the European parliament increases the pressure.

The switch from cars operated by an internal combustion engine (petrol or diesel) to electric vehicles is a key part of the government’s Climate Action Plan, which wants 1 million Irish cars to be EVs by the end of the decade.

More than half of new car buyers last year could have afforded an EV but just 8 per cent chose to do so. This is in spite of the fact that many car buyers cite affordability as the reason they don’t buy electric.

In January, it was reported that used car prices have increased by 56 per cent since the beginning of the coronavirus pandemic.

As second hand cars are more likely to have an internal combustion engine and they become harder to find, more and more people are turning to electric vehicles.

Fully electric vehicles accounted for 2.4 per cent of new car registration in 2019 but this had increased to 10.5 per cent by the second half of 2021.

The market share of hybrid cars has also increased. In the first half of 2019, new registrations for hybrids was 9.4 per cent of the total; this was 27 per cent in the second half of last year.

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