European Council formally adopts new rules on single-use plastics and recycling targets; directive completes final step before becoming law; England to ban plastic straws, stirrers, and cotton buds from April 2020
Taco Bell to remove chemicals of concern from packaging
U.S. fast food chain announces new global packaging commitments; plans to remove PFAS, phthalates, BPA from its consumer packaging by 2025
Washington state publishes updates on PFAS, draft criteria
Department of Ecology for the US state of Washington publishes alternatives assessment for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging, identifies alternatives for four packaging types; restrictions will come into force early 2023; working draft criteria defining “safer” and “feasible and available” for alternative assessments released for public comment
Putting the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability into action: Responding to hazardous chemicals in plastic FCMs
Third webinar within Food Packaging Forum’s Spring 2021 webinar series on challenges and opportunities for food contact materials (FCMs) within the EU’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS); featured two expert talks on addressing hazardous substances in plastic FCMs, considering substitution and simplification
Marketplace for chemical alternatives
Non-profit organization ChemSec launches new online resource aimed to facilitate advertising and finding commercially available substitutes to hazardous substances
Effect of phthalates on body fat
New study finds no associations between prenatal exposure to phthalates and percent body fat in childhood
FPF webinar on Chinese food contact regulation
Learn more about China’s updated legislation on food contact materials and additives with guest speaker from Chinese national reference laboratory for FCMs; registration now open
Phthalates in vinyl gloves
Study by NGO Ecology Center finds ortho-phthalates in vinyl gloves used to handle food, urges use of alternatives such as washed bare hands, polyethylene or nitrile gloves
Food additives and child health
Policy statement and technical report by American Academy of Pediatrics describe child health effects of direct and indirect food additives, provide recommendations for reducing exposures, call for revision of food additives regulation in the U.S.
Immediate ban on foamware announced by Lagos State, Nigeria
Nigerian states of Lagos and Abia ban single-use polystyrene foam packaging “with immediate effect”; give three weeks to use up current stock; other single use plastic products will be targeted later in 2024; federal Ministry of Environment also banning single-use plastics at headquarters and agencies