United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) completes survey of South-East Asian consumers and businesses, finds ‘significant disconnect’ between expectations and actions taken to address plastic waste; European Commission (EC) and European Environment Agency (EEA) publish status reports on marine protection efforts in the EU, show mixed results with increase in plastics contamination
Opinion: How to create truly safe foods with an innovative business idea
‘Beyond Organic’ TEDx talk on preventing chronic disease, infertility by avoiding chemical exposures in a safe food supply eliminating harmful exposures to environmental chemicals
Influence of consumer and retailer demands
U.S. state regulations, consumer and retailer actions on chemicals in food packaging more effective than FDA regulation, according to experts at Chemical Watch conference
Recent conferences on plastics recycling
Series of recent conferences on both continents focus on discussing challenges and opportunities surrounding plastics recycling, increasing recycled content in products; group of NGOs criticize Circular Plastics Alliance for overlooking hazardous chemicals; predicted lower prices of virgin PET seen as future test of commitment to set sustainability targets
ASEAN member actions on plastic and chemical pollution
Nations in Southeast Asia collectively working on reducing plastic pollution and related chemical hazards; Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signs off on project to “combat” marine plastic; Thailand plans ban on plastic scrap imports; new research available on sources of plastic pollution in Indonesia and Vietnam; Vietnam and Singapore implementing stricter chemical regulations; extended producer responsibility for plastic waste becomes law in Philippines
Code Check on reducing exposure to hazardous food packaging chemicals
Article by product ingredient transparency app Code Check provides overview of some hazardous chemicals that can be present in food packaging; provides tips for reducing exposure
Major retailers set chemical innovation priorities
Retail Leadership Council issues statement outlining priority product categories and chemical classes for safer chemical alternatives in products, sets roadmap for increasing transparency for data sharing between businesses and with consumers
9th Cycle Talk
Greenpeace advocates reuse over plastic recycling
Greenpeace Switzerland publishes statement and report, criticizes increasing focus on plastic collection and recycling; argues this misleads consumers, hinders implementation of reuse and extended producer responsibility, recommends providing necessary infrastructure, adaptation of logistics, implementing reuse and return models