News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
June 29, 2020
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
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 26, 2020
U.S. California’s Water Resource Control Board adopts definition for microplastics in drinking water; long-term monitoring of microplastics planned in drinking water supplies to understand implications for public health
Topics: microplastics
Reading time: 1 minute
June 25, 2020
French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health & Safety (Anses) publishes review on presence of engineered nanomaterials in food and food packaging; identifies set of primary uses and substances
Topics: nanomaterials
Reading time: 1 minute
June 25, 2020
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) identifies four new substances of very high concern (SVHCs) set to be phased-out; two are food contact chemicals including 1-vinylimidazole and 2-methylimidazole
Reading time: 1 minute
June 24, 2020
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) submits feedback on European Commission’s roadmap to develop chemicals strategy for sustainability; calls for sufficient support to establish appropriate test methods, prioritize substitution of the known hazardous chemicals currently authorized for use in food contact materials
Reading time: 1 minute
June 23, 2020
Industry association Plastic Recyclers Europe (PRE) publishes market data related to annual production, use, and recycling of flexible plastics in the EU; food packaging sector primarily uses polyolefin films, presence of multi-material films complicates recycling; more infrastructure for collection, separation, recycling needed
Topics: plastics, polyolefins
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 22, 2020
Greenpeace and UPSTREAM publish statement signed by wide-range of doctors and public health researchers, emphasize that reuse systems in stores and restaurants can be implemented safely during COVID-19 pandemic by following standard sanitation laws; single-use items not inherently safer than reusables
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 22, 2020
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announces that no federal limits will be set on perchlorate in drinking water; administration defends decision as necessary to remove overregulation, health advocates argue it is illegal and unscientific
Topics: EPA, perchlorate
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 19, 2020
Scientists create set of 17 questions to help innovators consider potential risks to human health posed by nano-sized products or materials during the innovation process, aiming to guide development and identify safety issues already at early design stages
Reading time: 1 minute
June 19, 2020
Non-governmental organization European Environmental Bureau (EEB) publishes position paper setting 8 priorities for upcoming EU Chemical Strategy for Sustainability; calls for revision of food contact materials legislation, creation of chemical substitution forums and technical support centers for small and medium sized businesses, ‘polluter pays’ tax
Reading time: 2 minutes
