News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
February 27, 2020
European Commission (EC) holds meeting reviewing draft regulatory texts for 15th and 16th amendment of plastics regulation 10/2011 and for plastic food contact materials (FCMs) recycling regulation; contemplates regulatory options for novel FCMs including plastics with bamboo fibers; presents specific updates and timelines for future work
Reading time: 5 minutes
February 27, 2020
UK branch of supermarket chain Lidl announces new packaging for fish made from at least 30% recycled ocean-bound plastic from March 2020; stakeholders raise concerns over safety of chemicals that could be present
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 26, 2020
Report from Nordic Council of Ministers reviews public information available for per- and polyfluoroalkylether substances (PFAEs); identifies 394 substances, find more than half do not exist in public chemical databases; limited data on identity, production, and uses
Topics: PFAS
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 26, 2020
White paper by Environmental Council of States (ECOS) reviews and compares regulations on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) by U.S. states; identifies state agencies’ considerations and unanswered questions that will influence future regulation
Topics: PFAS, regulation
Reading time: 1 minute
February 25, 2020
European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) latest draft opinion proposes group tolerable weekly intake (TWI) limit of 8 ng/kg body weight for 4 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); opens public comment period until April 20, 2020, plans technical workshop in Brussels on March 12, 2020
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 25, 2020
National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment calls for public comment on new food contact materials (FCMs) and chemicals as well as expanded uses; feedback accepted until March 11, 2020
Topics: china, regulation
Reading time: 1 minute
February 24, 2020
Law firm Keller and Heckman LLP publish overview article introducing biobased plastics, discuss definitions, developments, recycling challenges, and applicable legislation
Topics: bioplastics
Reading time: 1 minute
February 24, 2020
Food and Drug Administration publishes survey to collect information on chemicals used in virgin polyethylene terephthalate (PET) and high-density polyethylene (HDPE) production; results to inform updating regulation, responses due by April 10, 2020
Reading time: 1 minute
February 19, 2020
Greenpeace report finds only 53% of all US material recovery facilities accept polypropylene products, argues they should therefore not be labeled and marketed to consumers as recyclable; bottled water association advocates against the term ‘single-use,’ concerned it confuses consumers and limits recycling
Reading time: 3 minutes
February 18, 2020
Article introduces recent research quantifying chemicals that could be present in packaging, testing chemical toxicity; emphasizes chemical unknowns, recommends tips for consumers to minimize chemical and plastic particle exposure
Reading time: 2 minutes
