Scientists assess styrene levels in polystyrene food packaging, migration into refrigerated dairy products, in 50% ethanol, as well as factors influencing migration; report styrene migration of 5 to 30 µg/kg food at the best before date; find food contact area, temperature and time rather than fat content influence styrene migration
EEB analysis critical of ECHA microplastics restriction
European Environmental Bureau (EEB) disapproves of updates the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) made to its restriction proposal for microplastics in consumer and professional products; criticizes increase in microplastic size limit to 100 nm; ECHA defends changes, argues that regulation must be enforceable, cites lacking analytical techniques
Forum on packaging waste and sustainability
24th Packaging Waste and Sustainability Forum addresses circular economy solutions for packaging and packaging waste, June 5-7, 2018 in Brussels
California consults on carcinogenicity of substances
Seven substances set for consideration under state’s Proposition 65 legislation; includes bisphenol A and decabromodiphenyl ether (decaBDE); comments accepted until October 19, 2020
ECHA assesses regulatory needs of phthalates as a group
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publishes assessment of regulatory needs for groups of chemicals including ortho-phthalates; concludes that all phthalates with C4-C6 carbon backbones and similar substances are likely reproductive toxicants and endocrine disruptors; suggests regulation as a group
OECD forum on cost-effective management systems for chemicals
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) event on November 3-4, 2020 to focus on exchanging experiences and knowledge on systems to manage industrial and consumer chemicals; registration open
New form of PLA seen as beneficial for application in hot food packaging
Researchers develop a more thermally resistant form of polylactic acid (PLA) plastic; provides clear, tough, and heat resistant material with the potential to expand PLA market application and reduce price
Public forum on BPA-free cans
Berkeley Center for Green Chemistry holds public forum on alternatives for BPA-containing can linings; non-BPA epoxy material showing no endocrine activity presented
FDA denies citizen petition to ban phthalates in food contact materials
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) rejects two citizen petitions from 2016 asking it to remove 28 phthalates from food contact use for safety reasons; grants industry petition to remove 23 phthalates due to abandonment; FDA issues request for information on use and safety information of remaining phthalates; comments accepted until July 19, 2022
Yahoo News: reusing plastic food packaging
Article by Yahoo Health discusses reusability of food containers made of different plastic materials