Food Packging Forum presentation at AIMPLAS okPlast conference provides overview of chemical safety aspects of commonly used plastics relevant for the circular economy
FPF comments on UN food systems summit strategy paper
Food Packaging Forum director comments on report outlining food packaging opportunities for the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit; suggests including plastic pollution as a food systems issue for discussion
EU adopts Zero Pollution Action Plan
European Commission announces adoption of action plan towards zero pollution for air, water, and soil; includes targets to by 2030 reduce plastic litter at sea by 50%, microplastics release into environment by 30%, residual municipal solid waste by 50%; will revise air and water quality standards, review majority of EU waste laws, increase enforcement
Plastic packaging: A risk to food companies?
New report of NGO ClientEarth explores risks of single-use plastic packaging; warns investors that food companies and supermarkets neglecting plastic pollution-related risk to face reputational damage and legal action
ECHA biocides committee adopts 13 opinions
Opinions cover five active substances, hydrogen peroxide approved under product-type 4 as food and feed area disinfectant
Report compares US state recycling rates
Ball Corporation commissioned report compares recycling rates across US states for rigid plastics, glass, aluminum and steel cans, and cardboard for 2018; best overall recycling rates found for Maine (72%); results based on multiple data sources including US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA), states, municipalities, waste processors; finds high recycling rates correlate with presence of deposit return systems, curb recycling, extended producer responsibility schemes
MEPs criticize delay in European EDC policy
Members of European Parliament send letter criticizing slow advances on EDCs policy to European Commission president Barroso
EU policy on EDCs deliberately obstructed
New report reveals internal documents, details stakeholder activities in obstructing Commission work on endocrine disrupting chemicals
Chile passes comprehensive plastics legislation
Chilean legislature unanimously passes comprehensive single-use and recycled plastics regulations; regulation bans single-use plastic use within a food establishment, compels markets and convenience stores to only sell recyclable beverage containers, beverage containers must contain plastic collected and recycled within Chile; regulations come into effect over 3 years
Sweden sues Commission on EDC criteria
Sweden announced it would sue the European Commission for delaying the EDC criteria, accuses EC of industry lobbying