Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) reports progress, or lack thereof, on corporate packaging commitments set for 2025; plastic pact signatories increased portfolio of recycled, recyclable, or compostable products by 2% between 2019 and 2021; reuse decreased, and virgin plastic use increased; EMF calling for stronger governmental action and support of UN plastic pollution treaty
Improving the chemical safety of food contact articles: Accelerating science and innovation
About the 2019 Workshop The 2019 Food Packaging Forum (FPF) Workshop took place on October 24, 2019 under the theme «Improving the chemical safety of food contact articles: Accelerating science and innovation.» The event featured high profile speakers and offered an international platform for exchanging views and ideas with stakeholders across the field of food contact materials (FCMs). The FPF Workshop is a one-of-a-kind annual event in the field of FCMs to learn about recent developments in science, business, advocacy, […]
Interlaboratory comparison of migration testing: Temperature control
EU Reference Laboratory for FCMs publishes a report on interlaboratory comparison for controlling the temperature during migration tests by article filling; results satisfactory only for 30% of the participating laboratories; follow-up study is planned
Letter from EU Health Commissioner on FCM concerns
European Commissioner for Health and Food Safety responds to CHEM Trust regarding concerns with current EU food contact material legislation, recognizes stakeholder concerns, promises to move ahead with prioritization of harmful substances including endocrine disruptors
Danish consumer products testing program might lose funding
The Danish Consumer Council THINK Chemicals, testing consumer products for chemicals of concern, might not get its grant renewed for 2017
EC’s proposal for regulating printed FCMs
EU Commission publishes proposal for new regulatory approach for Union measure on printed FCMs, discussed during May 2017 meeting of working group on FCMs with Member States
Study maps intentionally added substances in plastics
Scientists investigate plastic monomers, additives, and processing aids for their chemical identity, use, and hazard classification; identify >10,000 chemicals; 24% categorized as substances of potential concern of which the majority is not currently subject to management measures; emphasize information gaps regarding substance properties and uses
UV-328, PFCAs, chlorinated paraffins move closer to global restrictions
17th meeting of the Stockholm Convention’s Persistent Organic Pollutants Review Committee (POPRC) considers scientific evidence, agrees to move all substances onto next step in review process; long-chain perfluorocarboxylic acids (PFCAs), medium-chain chlorinated paraffins, and UV-328 all known to have been used in food packaging
Proposals for change from inside and outside the US FDA
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) proposes structural changes within the institution in response to recent critique; includes increased focus on nutrition, partnerships with other regulatory authorities and incorporating outside advisors; Center for Science in the Public Interest (CSPI) publishes report on obesogens; encourages FDA to ‘incorporate framework’ to identify obesogens and other endocrine disruptors when reviewing chemical safety
German BfR comments on the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability
The German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) comments on the EU’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS); criticizes the alleged exclusion of scientific risk assessment experts in the development and implementation of the CSS; comments supported by others with demonstrated ties to chemical industry.