FER Fortnightly, published biweekly by Gill Ashton Publishing (publishers of Foodservice Equipment Reports), covers key regulatory, economic and general foodservice industry news with a special emphasis on issues impacting the equipment and supplies industry.

Questions or comments? Please send them to bward@fermag.com.

For information about advertising in FER Fortnightly, please contact Robin Ashton, publisher, at 800/986-9616 or email at rashton@fermag.com.

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ASIA
BASTIONS OF TOBACCO FALLING TO SMOKING BANS
Turkey, home of the hookah and "Turkish blend," France, and now even Thailand are kicking the habit, at least in public places. ...[full story]

BEIJING BANS BUTTS FOR OLYMPICS
Cigarettes, like smog and construction dust, are verboten as the Olympic Games approach. ...
[full story]

CHINA BANS DISPOSABLE PLASTIC BAGS
Three billion bags a day got to be a real problem. ...[full story]

CHINA GETS THE LEAD OUT ON FOOD SAFETY LAW
The head of the country's food and drug administration was executed last year. The new guys, understandably, are showing some sense of urgency about a lot of things. ...[full story]

CHINA'S NEW FRANCHISE RULES EXPECTED BY YEAREND
A draft regulation on franchising is expected to clarify China’s legal definition...[full story]

HONG KONG PROMOTES NEW RULE WITH 'SMOKE FREE' DAYS
You can still smoke in parks, beaches, mahjong parlors, massage parlors and bars. That's about it....[full story]

JAPANESE RESTAURANTS SOON SUBJECT TO VISITS FROM 'SUSHI POLICE'
Guidelines aren't really regulations, but here's another standard to meet. Or not....[full story]

TAIWAN BANS PLASTIC DISPOSABLES IN SCHOOLS; RESTAURANTS NEXT
Taiwan just doesn't have room for all the waste anymore....[full story]

AUSTRALIA/NEW ZEALAND
MENU LABELING HITS DOWN UNDER
Australia takes a look at what the U.S. and U.K. are doing to educate consumers. ...[full story]

NEW ZEALAND PLANS FOOD-CODE OVERHAUL
For most foodservice operators, the applicable standard will be similar to the U.S. Food and Drug Adminstration's Model Food Code. ...[full story]

CANADA
ALBERTA DROPS PERMIT REQUIREMENT FOR YOUNG WORKERS
If you employ younger workers in Alberta, Canada, you'll have one less set of papers to deal with....[full story]

B.C. BECOMING FIRST PROVINCE TO RATE/INSPECT/MEASURE HOSPITAL FOODSERVICE
This time, it's foodservice that's getting poked and prodded....[full story]

B.C. CRACKS DOWN ON UNDERAGE DRINKING
Serve a minor, and you'll pay plenty for the opportunity to think it over....[full story]

B.C. FIRST PROVINCE TO BAN TRANS FAT
Canadian cities have tackled the unpopular fat before, but this is the first time a whole province has done it. ...[full story]

BETTER SIT DOWN, HAVE A DRINK TO HEAR THIS
Restaurant patrons in Saskatchewan, Canada, still have to sit down to have a drink. They have to eat, too. ...[full story]

CANADIANS, MARYLANDERS START TRANS FAT DIET
As of midnight New Year's Eve, the trans fat was in the fire in one Canadian province and one Maryland county. ...[full story]

CRFA CRITICIZES TORONTO DISPOSABLES BAN
Oh yeah? Maybe Toronto's recycling system—not the coffee cups—is the problem, the restaurant association says. ...[full story]

CRFA SCORES GOAL FOR WORLD CUP
All things are equal for beer drinkers in Ontario. ...[full story]

CSA's FOG STANDARD UNDER TASK FORCE REVIEW
Concerns about foggy phrasing put FOG rules on hold....[full story]

HAMILTON, ONTARIO, MAY REQUIRE FOOD SAFETY TRAINING
Food safety training marches onward, and Hamilton is considering its next move....[full story]

LIGHTS OUT FOR INCANDESCENT BULBS IN ONTARIO
The invention that shed light on the entire 20th century just doesn't cut it anymore....[full story]

LONDON, ONT., DRIVES AROUND DRIVE-THROUGH DILEMMA
When the crowd went wild, London decided to ease up on a drive-through ban. ...[full story]

NO PUFFING IN SASKATCHEWAN
With so many provinces banning smoking, the hockey’s bound to get even faster....[full story]

MORE HEALTH DEPARTMENTS PUT INSPECTIONS ONLINE
It's getting harder and harder to bury a bad health department inspection....[full story]

ONTARIO: DON'T LET WASTE GO TO WASTE
"Waste not, want not." Ontario, Canada, is cracking down on restaurants that carelessly load up landfills....[full story]

SEATTLE BANS TRANS FAT, CALGARY CONSIDERS IT, CHAINS DUMP IT
Does this vat make me look fat?....[full story]

STEAK 'N SHAKE, STARWOOD, ARBY'S, EVEN CANADA GET PHAT GOING TRANS FAT-FREE
Add trans fats to that list along with the dodo, the Hindenburg, the Edsel and what else? ....
[full story]

TORONTO COFFEE-CUP COPS COMPROMISE
It’s the cups. No, it’s Toronto. Well actually, it’s the dang plastic lids. ...[full story]

TORONTO CONSIDERS BAN ON BAGS, CUPS, CONTAINERS
Slashing landfill footprint is a huge priority. ...[full story]

TORONTO, TWIN CITIES TAKE ON TRANS FAT—MAYBE
Trans fats are pretty much on their way out anyway, but a couple extra shoves to the door couldn't hurt. ...[full story]

TRANS FATS A BIG DEAL IN CANADA
Voluntary trial period didn't work so the government is looking at mandatory guidelines. . ...
[full story]

EUROPE
BRITISH MEDICOS PUSH KNIFE BAN, SAY POINTS ARE THE POINT
If you think some legislation here in America is wacky, try the U.K....[full story]

BRITS GET SERIOUS ABOUT BANS ON SOME FOOD ADS
Marketing restraints could eventually show up in traffic and menu....[full story]

CALORIE POSTING PROBABLE IN ONTARIO, OFF IN W.V., VOLUNTARY IN U.K.
Calorie-posting rules are coming so hot and heavy now, we need to start stacking two and three per story. ...[full story]

DUBLIN OPERATORS FACE FOG FEE
Okay, €1,370 a year is how much in dollars? . ...[full story]

DUTCH SAY NO TO 'TABACKY' UNLESS IT'S WACKY
Say, those aren't Lucky Strikes in that baggie, are they? ...[full story]

EC GIVES COMPANIES A SAY IN WEEE/ROHS
Hazardous materials directives giving you fits in Europe? The EU is looking for suggestions....
[full story]

EU'S CEN PUBLISHES EQUIPMENT SAFETY STANDARDS
The Council of European Normalization has nailed down new standards, and NSF now can certify for them....[full story]

EU HEALTH MINISTERS OKAY WHO'S FAT FIGHT
Europeans are getting too wide for their narrow streets. Something's gotta give, and it is....[full story]

EU ROLLS OUT DISPOSAL BAN ON PRODUCTS CONTAINING HAZARDOUS WASTE
The EU is after lead and some other dangerous metals leaching from waste into the environment. The ripple effects will go around the world. ...[full story]

FRENCH FACE POSSIBILITY OF QUITTING COLD TURKEY
A Frenchman without a Gauloise? When donkeys fly....[full story]

MORE CITIES, CHAINS JUMP ON TRANS FAT BANDWAGON
Once science knows something is bad, using it gets tricky, legally speaking....[full story]

NEWS ON RENEWED EU TARIFFS, OSHA CHANGES ON STAINLESS WELDING
Yes, trade scuffles flare up anew. Presumably you can pay in either dollars or Euros, but either way, it's another 14%....[full story]

NOISE MAKING MUSH OF U.K. PUB WORKERS’ EARS
"’Ear today, gone tomorrow." Regs to protect hearing aren’t being enforced....yet....[full story]

SACREBLEU! FRENCH PM TO DECREE BAN ON PUBLIC SMOKING
What is France, anyway, without people smoking everywhere? Just a bunch of paintings and wine and cheese....[full story]

SCOTS SHOW BRITS STUBBING OUT BUTTS WON'T HURT BIZ
What's all this fuss about nicotine fits halfway through the bangers and mash?....[full story]

SMOKING BANS? BUT WAIT. THIS TIME IT’S THE U.K.
Bangers and mash are smashing, but nix on the stix, boyo. ...[full story]

SURVEY SAYS U.K. RESTAURANTS DON'T KNOW WEEE
Show of hands: How many of you know what WEEE is? ...[full story]

U.K.'S "CHIP AND PIN" PROGRAM TO SHIFT FRAUD LIABILITY
Here’s a heads-up for anyone operating a restaurant that accepts credit cards in the United Kingdom....[full story]

U.K. COMPANIES COMMIT TO ENVIRONMENTAL 'NUTRITION' LABEL
Wonder about the carbon footprint behind that bag of chips? ...[full story]

UK ISSUES NEW SCHOOL LUNCH NUTRITION RULES
UK schools are banning junk food. No word on those lively little sausages known as bangers....
[full story]

U.K. PUBS LEAN TOWARD DROPPING FOOD IN FAVOR OF SMOKING
Who needs steak and kidney pie? British pub owners figure smoking is better for business....
[full story]

WEEE! — RECYCLING RIDE STARTS UP AGAIN IN JANUARY
New hazardous-materials rules kick in soon in U.K. and the Republic of Ireland....[full story]

WEEE/ROHS WEBINAR NEXT WEEK
The EU's not messing around anymore with cadmium, lead and certain other metals in electronic and electrical waste....[full story]