News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
January 22, 2020
Environment Committee of EU Parliament rejects EU Commission’s proposal to allow up to 2% lead by weight in recycled polyvinylchloride (PVC); see increased levels as unsafe and unnecessary given available PVC alternatives, argue recycling should not justify continued use of hazardous substances
Reading time: 2 minutes
January 22, 2020
Scientists from University of Guleph report bisphenol S (BPS) and bisphenol A (BPA) able to decrease systolic pressure and rates of contraction and relaxation within minutes of exposure in mice; BPS found to be more potent than BPA, raises concerns about its use as substitute in plastics
Topics: bisphenol A, bisphenol S
Reading time: 1 minute
January 22, 2020
AskREACH project’s ‘Scan4Chem’ app allows consumers to scan product barcodes and retrieve information on presence of substances of very high concern (SVHCs); users can also submit information requests to companies, see all requests and responses across EU countries
Topics: SVHC
Reading time: 1 minute
January 21, 2020
The Food Packaging Forum shared its perspective on the European Commission’s roadmap for the Circular Economy Action Plan; key consideration should be given to chemical safety in reused, recycled and biodegradable materials especially if intended for food contact
Topics: circular economy
Reading time: 1 minute
January 21, 2020
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to host meeting focusing on coordinated approach to assessing human health risks of micro and nanoplastics in food on October 15-16, 2020 in Lisbon; call for abstracts open until January 31, 2020
Topics: microplastics, risk assessment
Reading time: 1 minute
January 21, 2020
U.S. state of Washington informs about ongoing assessment of alternatives to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging; webinars in January and February focus on current project activities, extended scope and hazard and exposure assessment
Reading time: 1 minute
January 20, 2020
U.S. state of Washington identifies food cans as priority products under its safer products program for being a significant source of bisphenols, highlighted as major concern for human exposure and volume used; printing inks also included as source of polychlorinated biphenyls
Reading time: 2 minutes
January 20, 2020
Country’s National Development and Reform Commission announces ban of straws by 2020, non-degradable plastic bags by 2022, restaurant industry to reduce single-use plastic use by 2025
Reading time: 1 minute
January 20, 2020
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) adds 4 substances of very high concern (SVHCs) to candidate list for authorization, includes additive potentially used in food contact polymer production and perfluorobutane sulfonic acid (PFBS) and its salts
Reading time: 1 minute
January 16, 2020
International retailer issues recall for all “Troligtvis” travel mugs made in India; recent testing finds levels of dibutyl phthalate (DBP) that exceed company’s set limits; phthalates have been prohibited in all IKEA food contact articles for years
Topics: phthalates
Reading time: 1 minute
