News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
March 12, 2021
French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (ANSES) proposes listing bisphenol B as REACH substance of very high concern (SVHC), suggests bisphenol B is an even more dangerous endocrine disruptor than bisphenol A; public consultation for identification dossier open until April 23, 2021
Reading time: 1 minute
March 11, 2021
European Environment Bureau (EEB) reviews progress of EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan (CEAP), highlights successes and challenges; finds many EU countries missed 2020 targets for recycling, waste prevention targets needed; European Parliament calling for targets to reduce resource use by 2030; EU Commission planning publication of guidelines for Single-Use Plastic Directive, clarification of rules for biobased and biodegradable plastics, introduction of legislation to mandate using harmonized Life Cycle Assessment method
Reading time: 0 minutes
March 11, 2021
Upstream publishes overview article discussing Extended Producer Responsibility (EPR) for packaging, sees recent improvements; views EPR as foundation of circular economy and calls for EPR policies to also focus on developing new reuse/refill systems, include targets for litter prevention and mitigation; advocates for binding reuse targets similar to EU's recycling targets to create conditions for businesses to safely invest in upscaling reuse
Reading time: 2 minutes
March 11, 2021
Consultancy McKinsey & Company presents results from survey on consumers’ attitudes towards packaging and concerns around sustainability in ten emerging markets; finds greatest consumer concern in China, India and Indonesia; suggests as first action to decrease packaging complexity, reduce unnecessary packaging, exchange multi- with mono-layer materials
Reading time: 2 minutes
March 10, 2021
Organization for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) publication aims to increase agreement on approach and criteria for alternatives selection, set minimum requirements to determine safer substitutes; provides guidance on setting scope, using comparative hazard and exposure assessments, comparing trade-offs; applies framework in example case study
Topics: risk assessment, substitution
Reading time: 1 minute
March 10, 2021
European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Biocidal Products Committee (BPC) announces opinion not approving silver compounds for application in food contact materials (FCMs); includes silver zinc zeolite, silver zeolite, silver copper zeolite, silver sodium hydrogen zirconium phosphate; finds risk unacceptable for human health; next meeting scheduled in June 2021
Reading time: 1 minute
March 10, 2021
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes update on risk assessment of hexabromocyclododecanes (HBCDDs); results support conclusion that dietary exposure in EU not a health concern except for breastfed children; panel will consider mixture approach once risk assessments of all groups of brominated flame retardants (BFRs) updated
Reading time: 2 minutes
March 8, 2021
Drug store chain Rite Aid expands its chemicals policy to cover food contact materials (FCMs); restricted substances list sets concentration limits, does not allow intentional use in food packaging of various heavy metals, all ortho-phthalates, all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS)
Topics: bisphenol, bisphenol A, bisphenol B, bisphenol F, bisphenol S, heavy metals, PFAS, phthalates
Reading time: 1 minute
March 5, 2021
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds 18 new entries to its Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substances (FCS)
Topics: FDA, food packaging
Reading time: 3 minutes
March 4, 2021
EU Court of Justice’s General Advocate recommends ban on bis(2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP) in recycled polyvinyl chloride (PVC); previous decision considered inadequate as it disregards endocrine disrupting properties of DEHP; NGO criticizes REACH lacking necessary tools to manage recycled materials
Reading time: 2 minutes
