News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
September 21, 2020
German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) publishes position statement on specific migration limits for lead, cadmium, and cobalt from ceramic food contact materials; derives recommended limits up to 400 times lower than values allowed by current directive
Reading time: 1 minute
September 18, 2020
Scientists investigate in vitro toxicity of extracts from bioplastics and plant-based food contact articles; find strongest toxicity induced by cellulose- and starch-based products; emphasize similar toxicity profiles among bio-based, biodegradable, and conventional plastics
Reading time: 3 minutes
September 18, 2020
Organization reviews current chemical recycling projects, finds less than half are plastic-to-plastic recycling, none likely to become viable; criticizes labeling waste- and plastic-to-fuel technologies as ‘chemical recycling’, describes it as misleading for governments, investors and the public
Topics: chemical recycling
Reading time: 1 minute
September 17, 2020
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) publishes final version of its opinion on risk to human health from per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food; sets group tolerable weekly intake limit of 4.4 ng/kg body weight for four most commonly measured PFAS in humans
Topics: PFAS, risk assessment
Reading time: 1 minute
September 17, 2020
Assessment performed by Dutch National Institute for Public Health and the Environment (RIVM) finds total human exposure through food, consumer products, and soil far below weekly health guidance value
Topics: aluminum, risk assessment
Reading time: 1 minute
September 16, 2020
Environmental law organization finds EU laws on endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs) lag behind current science, proposes specific policy and process changes to address gaps; recommends implementing REACH restrictions on all identified EDCs, automatic regulatory consequences to reduce all sources of exposure
Topics: endocrine disruptor
Reading time: 1 minute
September 16, 2020
Ministry of Commerce announces increased oversight on use of disposable plastic items by businesses; sets ban on range of single-use plastic items including plastic shopping bags, tableware, hospitality products
Reading time: 1 minute
September 16, 2020
European Commission (EC) opens public consultation on new sustainable products initiative; aims to expand scope of Ecodesign Directive across product types, create sustainability principles, requirements to link climate and environmental impacts to resource and energy use
Topics: European Commission
Reading time: 1 minute
September 15, 2020
Assembly fails to pass bill AB-1080; would have required 75% reduction of waste generated from single-use packaging, all packaging to be recyclable or compostable; passes separate bill requiring 50% recycled content in plastic bottles by 2030
Topics: recycling
Reading time: 2 minutes
September 15, 2020
Chemical Watch investigates trend of US states and retailers to phase out use of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging; non-governmental organizations expect increasing momentum while PFAS manufacturers defends performance and safety of applications
Reading time: 3 minutes
