An interesting item from the food ingredients press: China is restricting production and sale of Aspartame, the controversial sweetener that has recently been declared to be innocuous by both the FDA and the European Food Safety Administration.
China to Restrict Aspartame Production and Sale
12/07/06 - By controlling production and banning the launch of new projects, China will exert more efforts to restrict the production and sale of aspartame, press reports said.A circular issued by The National Development and Reform Commission (NDR), the State Administration for Industry and Commerce and the State Environmental Protection Administration highlighted their further strengthening of China’s work on restricting the sale and production of the widely-used sweetener.
State-designated aspartame producers shall in principle shift production to other products when moving to a new place, according to the circular. In addition, their reconstruction will not exceed the state designated one, if they decide to pursue their aspartame operations.
A clamp-down on aspartame production by the Chinese authorities. What do the Chinese know that the US FDA and the European Agency for the Safety of Foods are completely missing?
Only recently, the European Commission moved its Food Safety Agency to discredit the Italian study by the European Ramazzini Foundation's Cancer Research Institute which had found that in a long time experiment, rats had developed cancers and leukemias when given aspartame at dosages comparable to those that humans could be expected to consume.
No wonder the Chinese economy is the most vibrant economy, together with India, growing by about 10 % a year. They actually take care to eliminate losing business propositions and concentrate on what has a promising future, and there is no override of decisions of the government by industrial giants.
Not so here in the West. Since Donald Rumsfeld called in his markers to override the FDA scientific advisory board's decision to not approve the sweetener, the FDA has been looking the other way every time it got an adverse event report. Now such reports are openly discouraged because ... well, it just can't be that a sweetener that is on the market with regulatory approval is causing your nausea, your headache, your vision going bad, and any of a number of some 92 adverse reactions listed in an early FDA report, then removed from public view.
The situation is similar with the European Union. The scientific data were re-examined several times, and each time aspartame was given a clean bill of health. At its latest aspartame-defense press conference, the EU representative was bold enough to state that "no further research is needed". Translation: Aspartame will stay on the market, whether you like it or not.
Perhaps the only conclusion one can come to by looking at all the data available is: Our health authorities are in bed with an industry that is concentrating on shareholder profit rather than on eliminating problems their products cause for our health.
- - -
China to restrict aspartame production and sale, three major agencies,
five producers www.FoodIngredientsFirst.com: Murray 2006.07.16
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1357
[ see also:
Rio Rancho Public Schools (Albuquerque suburb, New Mexico)
bans aspartame, splenda, caffeine, etc. in Mid-High and high school:
Gary Herron, The Rio Rancho Observer: Murray 2006.07.19
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1357
"Drinks containing the sweeteners Splenda and Aspartame are banned,
as well as drinks containing caffeine."
http://www.observer-online.com/articles/2006/07/19/news/story4.txt ]
This is the first restriction of aspartame on a national level,
by the world's largest nation, about 1,306 million.
For the first time, I found a host of Web sites for major public and
private agencies in China, giving access emails
and quite a lot of information about policy and recent actions.
http://www.foodingredientsfirst.com/newsmaker_article.asp?idNewsMaker=11493&fSite=AO545&next=1
China to restrict aspartame production and sale
July 12, 2006 -- State-designated aspartame producers shall in principle
shift production to other products when moving to a new place,
according to the circular.
12/07/06 By controlling production
and banning the launch of new projects,
China will exert more efforts to restrict
the production and sale of aspartame,
press reports said.
A circular issued by
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDR),
the State Administration for Industry and Commerce
and the State Environmental Protection Administration
highlighted their further strengthening of China's work on restricting
the sale and production of the widely-used sweetener.
State-designated aspartame producers shall in principle shift production
to other products when moving to a new place,
according to the circular.
In addition, their reconstruction will not exceed the state designated one,
if they decide to pursue their aspartame operations.
Presently, China has five designated aspartame manufacturers namely:
Suzhou Fine Chemicals,
Tianjin Northern Foodstuffs,
Tianjin Changjie Chemical,
Kaifeng Xinghua Chemical
and Shanghai Fuxing Chemical,
press reports said.
Reports concluded that the total aspartame production from the five
producers was recorded at
22,850 tons in 2005, of which 19,300 tons was exported.
CNS Media BV, Marketing 22, 6921 RE Duiven, The Netherlands,
TEL: + 31 26 319 0650, FAX: + 31 26 319 0659 contact@twoi.com
State Administration for Industry and Commerce
8 Sanlihe Donglu, Xicheng District, Beijing 100820, China
Director: Wang Zhongfu
Tel: (86-10) 6803-2233
Fax: (86-10) 6802-0848
www.saic.gov.cn
http://www.zhb.gov.cn/english/ many agency links provided
State Environmental Protection Agency, SEPA
Address: No.115 Xizhimennei Nanxiaojie, Beijing (100035)
info2@zhb.gov.cn
Telephone Numbers for Administrative Offices in SEPA
Technical Support: Environmental Information Center of SEPA
from 2004-06-05
http://www.suzhoufinechemicals.com/template/enindex.htm
Suzhou Fine Chemicals Co., Ltd.
Twolions (Zhangjiagang) Fine Chemical Co., Ltd.
Sukun Highway, Outside Loumen, Suzhou, China
Zhangjiagang Bonded Area, China
Zip code: 215001 215635
Tel: 0512-67250496 0512-58726999 58726938
Fax: 0512-67248490 0512-58726900
E-mail: sfcgc@publicl.sz.js.cn; market@twolions.cn;
URL: http://www.suzhouchem.com www.twolions.cn
http://www.suzhouchem.com/Company.htm
Suzhou-Chem USA, Inc.
396 Washington Street, Suite 318
Wellesley, MA 02481, USA
Tel: (781) 431-6409 Fax: (781) 431-0384
Email: info@suzhouchem.com; Web: www.suzhouchem.com
http://www.chinacp.com/eng/cporg/cporg_ndrc.html
http://en.ndrc.gov.cn/ [ click English ]
http://en.ndrc.gov.cn/contactus.htm
National Development and Reform Commission
People's Republic of China
38.S. Yuetan Street, Beijing China Postcode: 100824
[ click on Transmit to compose and send email ]
http://en.ndrc.gov.cn/brief/default.htm
Brief Introduction of the NDRC
The National Development and Reform Commission (NDRC)
is a macroeconomic management agency under the State Council,
which studies and formulates policies for economic and social
development, maintains a balance of economic aggregates
and guides the overall economic system restructuring.
The NDRC's predecessor was the State Planning Commission (SPC),
which was founded fifty-one years ago in 1952.
The State Planning Commission was renamed as
the State Development Planning Commission (SDPC) in 1998.
After merging with the State Council Office for Restructuring
the Economic System (SCORES)
and part of the State Economic and Trade Commission (SETC)
in 2003, the SDPC was restructured into the NDRC.
In the transition from the planned economy
to a socialist market economy,
our commission persists in deepening reform, subscribing to new ideas,
transforming functions and giving full play to the fundamental role
of the market in allocating resources.
Meanwhile we have been making unremitting efforts to strengthen
and improve macroeconomic management and forcefully promoting
the sustained, rapid and sound development of the national economy.
The principal functions of the NDRC include:
1. To formulate and implement serategies for national economic
and social development, long-term plans, annual plans,
industrial policies and price policies;
2. To monitor and adjust the performance of the national economy,
maintain the balance of economic aggregates
and optimize major economic structures;
3. To examine and approve major construction projests;
4. To guide and promote economic system restructuring;
5. To carry out strategic readjustment
and upgrading of industrial structure,
coordinate the development of agriculture and rural economy
and guide the development of industry;
6. To formulate plans for the development of the energy sector
and manage national oil reserve;
7. To promote the sustainable development strategy,
social development and coordinated development
of regional economy
and implement the Western Region Development Program;
8. To submit the plan for national economic and social development
to the National People`s Congress on behalf of the
State Council in accordance with the Constitution.
The NDRC has twenty-six functional departments/bureaus/offices
with an authorized staff size of 890 civil servants.
After the restructuring, the NDRC now exercises broader jurisdiction
and undertakes more challenging tasks
and more important responsibilities.
To live up to our mission and perform duties assigned by
the Communist Party of China and the people,
we will spare no effort to create a team of high-quality
and efficient civil servants and cultivate a unique commission culture
that can be summarized in the following words:
"Safeguard the fundamental interests of the people,
give top priority to national interests,
pursue excellence and progress,
seek truth from facts,
adopt a perspective of the overall situation,
stress the importance of unity,
think little of fame and fortune
and adhere to incorruptness".
The NDRC will as always be committed to deepening the reform
and opening up wider to the outside world and promoting development,
actively engage in extensive cooperation with government agencies
and people from all walks of life both at home and abroad
and make our new contribution to world economic development
and the progress of the mankind.
http://en.ndrc.gov.cn/enmap.htm site map
http://www.opcw.org/
Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons
OPCW HEADQUARTERS
Johan de Wittlaan 32
2517 JR - The Hague
The Netherlands
tel: +31 70 416 3300
fax: +31 70 306 3535
INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
& ASSISTANCE
Assistance and Protection
tel: +31 70 416 3555
fax: +31 70 416 3209
emergassistbr@opcw.org
International Cooperation
tel: +31 70 416 3218
fax: +31 70 416 3279
intcoopbr@opcw.org
Implementation Support
tel: +31 70 416 3376
fax: +31 70 306 3535
ipb@opcw.org
EXTERNAL RELATIONS
Government Relations and Political Affairs
tel: +31 70 416 3237
tel: +31 70 416 3202
fax: +31 70 416 3280
grb@opcw.org
HUMAN RESOURCES
tel: +31 70 416 3738
recruitment@opcw.org
PROCUREMENT
tel: +31 70 416 3760
procurement@opcw.org
INQUIRIES &
OPCW WEBSITE
Media and Public Affairs
+31 70 416 3710
media@opcw.org
OPCW website feedback form
OFFICE OF THE LEGAL ADVISER
tel: +31 70 416 3814
tel: +31 70 416 3779
legal@opcw.org
http://www.ccchina.gov.cn/english/
Copyright by
Office of National Coordination Committee on Climate Change
built and maintained by China Economic Information Network
(CEInet) Tel: 86-10-68558356 webmaster@ccchina.gov.cn
600 articles on recent Domestic Actions available
China starts building its largest wind power plant
China has begun building the nation's biggest wind power plant
that will generate enough electricity for 400,000 homes,
state press reported.
A unit of Shenhua Group, the country's biggest coal producer,
will build the 200 megawatt plant at a cost of 1.7 billion yuan
(210 million dollars) in the eastern coastal province of Jiangsu,
the Shanghai Daily reported.
The plant in Dongtai city, north of Shanghai,
will produce enough electricity for 400,000 homes, it said.
[ $ 500 per home to build, $ 1 weekly for 10 years ]
Shenhua subsidiary Guohua Energy Investment Corp
said it planned to expand the capacity at its Dongtai plant
to 1,000 megawatts over the next 10 to 15 years, the paper reported.
China, which currently relies on heavily polluting coal
for around 70 percent of its power needs,
is trying to diversify its energy mix.
China is intending to increase its wind power capacity
from the current level of 1,260 megawatts to 5,000 megawatts by 2010,
according to the China Electricity Council.
But the 760 megawatts of installed wind power
from 43 wind farms at the end of 2004
was less than one percent of the total national electricity production,
previous government figures showed.
According to previously announced Chinese studies,
the nation has the potential to tap over one million megawatts
of wind power resources,
of which 250,000 megawatts are land based and the rest offshore.
Source: Yahoonews 2006-07-07
Members of the National Coordination Committee on Climate Change
National Development and Reform Commission
www.sdpc.gov.cn
Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the People'e Republic of China
www.fmprc.gov.cn/chn
Ministry of Science and Technology of the People's Republic of China
www.most.gov.cn
China Meteorological Administration
www.cma.gov.cn
State Environmental Protection Administration of China
www.zhb.gov.cn
Ministry of Finance People's Republic of China
www.mof.gov.cn
Ministry of Commerce of the People's Republic of China
www.mofcom.gov.cn
Ministry of Agriculture of the People's Repulic of China
www.agri.gov.cn
Ministry of Construction P.R.China
www.cin.gov.cn
Ministry of Communications of the People's Republic of China
www.moc.gov.cn
Ministry of Water Resoures of the People's Republic of China
www.mwr.gov.cn
State Forestry Administration of the People's Republic of China
www.forestry.gov.cn
Chinese Academy of Sciences
www.cas.ac.cn
State Ocean Administration of China
www.soa.gov.cn
Civil Aviation Administration of the People's Republic of China
www.caac.cn.net
International Website
UNFCCC www.unfccc.int
CDM http://unfccc.int/cdm/
IPCC www.ipcc.ch
UNEP www.unep.org
Climate Ark www.climateark.org
UNDP www.undp.org
WMO www.wmo.ch
WB www.worldbank.org
IEA www.iea.org
GEF www.gefweb.org
Climate Action Network Europe www.climnet.org
Canada-China Cooperation in Climate Change Project(C5)
www.ec.gc.ca/etad/en/c5/index_e.htm
IEA Greenhouse Gas R&D Programme(IEAGHG) www.ieagreen.org.uk
CTI www.climatetech.net
Carbon Market Programme(UNCTAD) http://r0.unctad.org/ghg
the Government of Canada Climate Change Web www.climatechange.gc.ca
GREENTIE www.greentie.org
The Australian Greenhouse Office(AGO) www.greenhouse.gov.au
US Climate Change Science Program www.climatescience.gov
The Institute of Energy Economics,Japan(IEE)
eneken.ieej.or.jp/en/index.html
The Australian Greenhouse Office www.greenhouse.gov.au
Carbonfund.org www.Carbonfund.org
National Website
Energy Research Institute, National Development and Reform Commission
www.eri.org.cn
GEF in China
www.gefchina.org.cn
China National Climate Committee
www.cma.gov.cn/climate
China Climate Change Web
www.ipcc.cma.gov.cn
Vulneralility and Adaptability Site
www.ami.ac.cn/climatechange2
WWF in China
www.wwfchina.org
Information Center for Natural Gas Hydrate
www.gas-hydrate.org.cn
Guangzhou Institution of Energy Conversion. the China Academy of Science
www.giec.ac.cn
Institution of Atmospheric Physics. the China Academy of Science
www.iap.ac.cn
China New Energy
www.newenergy.org.cn
http://www.mhia.org/wwr/wwr_China.cfm
Chinese Government Contacts
General Office of the State Council:
22 Xianmen Dajie, Beijing 100017 China
Director: Jiao Huancheng
Tel: (86-10) 6603-6447; Fax: (86-10) 6309-6382
www.ggj.gov.cn
State Commission of Science, Technology, and Industry for National Defense
A8 Fucheng Lu, Haidian District, Beijing 100037 China
Minister: Zhang Yunchuan
Tel: (86-10) 6851-6733
Fax: (86-10) 6851-6732
www.costind.gov.cn
State Economic and Trade Commission
26 Xuanwumen Xidajie, Beijing 100053, China
Minister: Sheng Huaren
Tel: (86-10) 6850-2968/6850-2407
Fax: (86-10) 6850-2728
Contact: Xu Tongmao,
Director of Foreign, American, and Oceanic Affairs
Ministry of Foreign Affairs
2 Chaoyangmen Nandajie District, Beijing 100701, China
Minister: Zhoa Xing
Tel: (86-10) 6596-1114
Fax: (86-10) 6596-1160
www.fmprc.gov.cn
Ministry of Foreign Trade and Economic Co-operation
2 Dongchang'an Jie, Beijing 100731, China
Minister: Shi Guangshen
Tel: (86-10) 6519-8804
Fax: (86-10) 6519-8904
Contact: Jiang Bo, Deputy Director of American and Oceanic Affairs
Ministry of Information Industry
13 Xichang'anjie, Beijing 100804, China
Minister: Wang Xu Dong
Tel: (86-10) 6601-4249
Fax: (86-10) 6201-6362
www.mii.gov.cn
General Administration of Customs
6 Jianguomennei Dajie, Beijing 100730, China
Director: Mu Xinsheng
Tel: (86-10) 6519-4114
Fax: (86-10) 6519-4004
www.customs.gov.cn
State Administration for Industry and Commerce
8 Sanlihe Donglu, Xicheng District, Beijing 100820, China
Director: Wang Zhongfu
Tel: (86-10) 6803-2233
Fax: (86-10) 6802-0848
www.saic.gov.cn
National Bureau of Statistics
75 Yuetannanjie, Xicheng District, Beijing 100826, China
Director: Li De ShuiTel: (86-10) 6857-3311
Fax: (86-10) 6853-3618
www.stats.gov.cn
State Administration of Foreign Exports Affairs
Bldg 5 You Yi Hotel, No.1 Zhong guan cun Street
Haidian District, Beijing 100873 China
Director: Wan Xueyuan
Tel: (86-10) 6894-8899
www.safea.gov.cn
Information Office
225 Chaoyangmenwai, Dongcheng District, Beijing 100010, China
Director: Zhao Qizheng
Tel: (86-10) 8652-1199, Ext. 7121/7058; 6559-2376
Fax: (86-10) 6559-2364
State Administration of Foreign Exchange
18 Fuchenglu, Beijing 100037, China
Director: Guo Shuqing
Tel: (86-10) 6840-2255
www.safe.gov.cn
State Machine-building Industry Association
46 Sanlihelu, Xicheng District, Beijing 100823, China
Director: Wu Xiaohua
Tel: (86-10) 6859-4965
Fax: (86-10) 6851-3867
Contact: Wang Bingnan, Director General, Foreign Affairs Department
Trade Associations & Other Key Contacts
American Chamber of Commerce in Beijing
Christian Murck, Chairman
Patrick Lin (Acting) Executive Director
Suite 1903 China Resources Building
8 Jianguomenbei Avenue
Beijing 100005
Tel: (86-10) 8519-1920; Fax: (86-10) 8519-1910
All-China Federation of Industry and Commerce
93 Beiheyan Dajie, Beijing 100006
Chairman: Huang Meng Fu
Tel: (86-10) 6513-6677 Ext. 2233, 2234; Fax: (86-10) 6513-1769
www.acfic.org.cn
China Council for the Promotion of International Trade (CCPIT)
1 Fuxingmenwai Street, Beijing 100860
President: Wan Ji Fei
Tel: (86-10) 68013344; Fax: (86-10) 68011370
www.ccpit.org
China Supply Chain Council
http://www.supplynetwork.cn/
China Chamber of International Commerce (co-located with CCPIT)
1 Fuxingmenwai Street
Beijing 100860
Tel: (86-10) 6851-3344
Fax: (86-10) 6851-1370
Hong Kong Logistics Association
http://www.hkla.org.hk/
U.S.-China Business Council
Patrick Powers, Director of China Operations
CITIC Building, Suite 26D
Beijing 100004
Tel: (86-10) 6592-0727; Fax: (86-10) 6512-5854
www.uschina.org
Trade Show Schedule
CeMat ASIA 2006
October 10-13, 2006
Shanghai, P.R. China
www.cemat-asia.com/en
CeMat ASIA
October 9 - 12, 2007
Shanghai, China
www.cemat-asia.com
*******************************************************
FLEXNEWS
Voie l'Occitane
Labege Innopole
31317 Labege
France
Contact: Tel : + 33 5 61 00 13 47 feedback@flexnews.com
Global Data Systems
BP 581
31317 Labege Cedex
France
Contact: info@gds-corporate.com
*******************************************************
unexamined diet research cofactors:
formaldehyde from tobacco and wood smoke,
it also forms from methanol in dark wines and liquors
and 11% methanol part of aspartame: Murray 2006.07.16
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1340
aspartame groups and books: updated research review of 2004.07.16:
Murray 2006.05.11
NIH NLM ToxNet HSDB Hazardous Substances Data Bank
inadequate re aspartame (methanol, formaldehyde, formic acid):
Murray 2006.07.16
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1349
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1341
Connecticut bans artificial sweeteners in schools, Nancy Barnes,
New Milford Times: Murray 2006.05.25
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1353
carcinogenic effect of inhaled formaldehyde, Federal Institute of Risk
Assessment, Germany -- same safe level as for Canada:
Murray 2006.06.02
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1352
Home sickness -- indoor air often worse, as our homes seal in pollutants
[one is formaldehyde, also from the 11% methanol part of aspartame],
Megan Gillis, WinnipegSun.com: Murray 2006.06.01
"Of course, everyone chooses, as a natural priority,
to actively find, quickly share, and positively act upon the facts
about healthy and safe food, drink, and environment."
Rich Murray, MA Room For All rmforall@comcast.net
505-501-2298 1943 Otowi Road Santa Fe, New Mexico 87505
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/messages
group with 72 members, 1,358 posts in a public, searchable archive
http://RMForAll.blogspot.com
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1143
methanol (formaldehyde, formic acid) disposition: Bouchard M
et al, full plain text, 2001: substantial sources are
degradation of fruit pectins, liquors, aspartame, smoke:
Murray 2005.04.02
http://toxnet.nlm.nih.gov/cgi-bin/sis/search/f?./temp/~HwoSfJ:1
HSDB Hazardous Substances Data Bank: Aspartame
ASPARTAME CASRN: 22839-47-0
METHANOL CASRN: 67-56-1
FORMALDEHYDE CASRN: 50-00-0
FORMIC ACID CASRN: 64-18-6
http://groups.yahoo.com/group/aspartameNM/message/1307
formaldehyde from 11% methanol part of aspartame or from red wine
causes same toxicity (hangover) harm: Murray 2006.05.24
Dark wines and liquors, as well as aspartame, provide
similar levels of methanol, above 120 mg daily, for
long-term heavy users, 2 L daily, about 6 cans.
Within hours, methanol is inevitably largely turned into formaldehyde,
and thence largely into formic acid -- the major causes of the dreaded
symptoms of "next morning" hangover.
Fully 11% of aspartame is methanol -- 1,120 mg aspartame
in 2 L diet soda, almost six 12-oz cans, gives 123 mg
methanol (wood alcohol). If 30% of the methanol is turned
into formaldehyde, the amount of formaldehyde, 37 mg,
is 18.5 times the USA EPA limit for daily formaldehyde in
drinking water, 2.0 mg in 2 L average daily drinking water.
Any unsuspected source of methanol, which the body always quickly
and largely turns into formaldehyde and then formic acid, must be
monitored, especially for high responsibility occupations, often with
night shifts, such as pilots and nuclear reactor operators.
*******************************************************