[smallmancontrov]

Yeah, this part feels more meaningful:

    FDA is working towards a validated analytical method
    that would allow us to monitor the market for these
    food contact substances in food packaging.

The best time to do this was 50 years ago, but the second best time is now.

[autoexec]

For the FDA "working towards" could take several years.

The FDA knew since at least 2019 that baby food sold in the US (Gerber, Beech-Nut, Parent’s Choice, Earth’s Best Organic, etc.) contains dangerous levels of heavy metals but they did nothing about it at all until they were shamed by media attention which triggered an investigation from the Subcommittee on Economic and Consumer Policy who then put out a couple of damning reports.

To this day Americans continue to spoon-feed poison into the mouths of their infant children, and the FDA has yet to even set action levels which would tell companies how much poison is too much. They keep pushing back their timeline and right now they think they might have just the first of several needed action levels finalized at the end of this year. (https://www.fda.gov/food/environmental-contaminants-food/clo...).

It's not like they only drag their feet when it comes to poisoned babies either, they also fail to act on reports of dangerous or unlawful clinical trial practices (https://www.science.org/content/article/fda-s-own-documents-...)

I don't know if it's regulatory capture, bribes, a lack of funding/support from government, or incompetence but we really need a strong FDA that actually does their job.

[theGnuMe]

The best strategy is to do what the EU does and ban them unless proven safe.

[b112]

Proven safe is wrought with specifics though.

Safe for mice? Because that's how a lot of testing is done.

Or like teflon which is perfectly safe until it reaches an easy-to-reach stovetop temp, and then it kills budgies in your home, and turns to poison in the pan?

Teflon passed, knowing it was deadly after being too hot, with the assumption that "people won't accidentally let a pan get too hot". Suuure, no one will get distracted by kids , the phone, someone at the door, etc. Suuure, no one will make a mistake in years of use!

Somewhat is "safe"?

I agree it would be a nice thing, but are we capable of that?

You and I, maybe. But our agencies? Dunno.