Government authority publishes draft ban set to come into force in three phases; would ban import, manufacture, and sale of plastic candy and ice cream sticks after January 1, 2022; expands ban to include plates, cups, cutlery, trays, certain wrapping films after July 1, 2022; proposal open for public comment until May 2021
US state of Washington picks new chemical groups for regulatory scrutiny
Washington state Department of Ecology publishes list of seven new priority chemical groups for future regulatory scrutiny as part of the Safer Products for Washington program; includes lead, cadmium, and formaldehyde; earlier in 2024, Washington passed the strongest regulation on lead in cookware in the US
Canada continues single-use plastics ban, England considers similar action
Canada moves forward with domestic ban of six single-use plastic products; targets checkout bags, cutlery, foodservice ware, ring carriers, stir sticks, and straws; ban may come into force before end of 2022; public consultation until March 5, 2022; England considering similar ban with consultation until February 12, 2022
The chemical and waste footprint of food delivery in China
Study uses online food delivery sales data from nearly 200 Chinese cities, combined with packaging samples from 18 of those cities to model packaging waste generation and chemical exposure from waste incineration; some degradation products with higher concentrations than intentionally added parent product; over 50 tons of the targeted additives likely released into the atmosphere from Chinese waste incinerators
San Francisco may ban plastic water bottles
San Francisco prepares legislation to ban sales of water in plastic bottles on public ground
Online retailers tackle dangerous products
Amazon, Alibaba, eBay, Rakuten France sign EU Commission’s ‘product safety pledge’ to remove dangerous products from sale more quickly; NGOs call for more specific action on hazardous chemicals
US lawmakers introduce new bill to ban PFAS in food packaging
Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS act would disallow the sale of any food packaging intentionally containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) beginning on January 1, 2024; this most recent attempt by US lawmakers to address PFAS on a national level would now need to be approved by both the US House and Senate chambers
Strict rules under new German packaging law
Germany’s new packaging law establishes mandatory central packaging registry, imposes fines and prohibition in sales for non-compliance
Dow separates from chlorine business
Dow announces separation from chlorine production, holds on to downstream chlorine processing businesses
Canada and Germany propose plans to reduce plastic, support reusable packaging
Canada proposes large grocery retailers implement measures to reduce food contact plastics; includes removing plastics from certain products, reuse/refill, and recycling targets; Germany’s Federal Ministry for the Environment drafted a similar law; Canadian government seeking feedback from stakeholders until August 30, 2023