South American trade bloc to no longer allow bisphenol A (BPA) in plastic food contact articles designed for children under 3 years old, lowers migration limit from other plastic FCAs; sets migration limits for 9 metals from plastic FCAs; adds substances to positive list for plastics and for cellulosic materials
Sweden addresses ‘cocktail effects’ and grouping of chemicals
Government of Sweden investigates how to consider chemicals’ ‘cocktail effects’ and regulate similar substances in groups within EU chemicals legislation
US FDA adds nine substances to food contact inventory
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds nine new entries to its Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substance Notifications (FCN) since August 2021
South Korean study investigates chemical exposures from food contact plastics
Scientific study examines chemical migration from seven types of food contact plastics available in South Korea; finds overall migration within national regulatory limits; considers estimated human exposures to terephthalic acid, acetaldehyde, 1,4-butanediol, and lead to be safe
Microplastics in compost
New study finds microplastic particles in compost from supermarket and household waste; plastic fragments most likely remnants of food packaging; potential source of microplastic contamination in soil and freshwater
Scientific consensus on chemicals and obesity
International scientists release Uppsala consensus statement agreeing on potential impact of environmental contaminants on metabolism and obesity; call for urgent action to reduce chemical exposure
PPTOX conference
Conference on environmental stressors in disease and human health implications to take place in October 2014
Forever Pollution Project maps Europe’s PFAS contamination
Media collaboration evaluates Europe’s contamination by per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); maps 17,000 known and 21,000 presumed contamination sites; ChemSec launches PFAS guide for companies
Contaminants in pasta packed in recycled paperboard
Italian researchers investigate migration of hydrocarbon contaminants into dry semolina and egg pasta packed in recycled paperboard, nature of the food influenced contaminant levels
Which plastic food containers are safe to reuse?
Plastics are complex materials with many chemical and physical properties; when considering chemical exposure, “safe” can be difficult to define; the Food Packaging Forum provides four tips for safer use of reusable food packaging