News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
January 10, 2025
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) selects five chemicals to undergo risk evaluation under the Toxic Substance Control Act - four are used in food contact; announces the next five chemicals to start this prioritization process which might eventually lead to risk evaluation and seeks comments on their usage and hazards by March 18, 2025
Reading time: 1 minute
January 9, 2025
European Council formally adopts the EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR); sets out targets for recycled content, reuse, and recyclability of food packaging; restricts certain single-use plastic food packaging; bans food packaging containing PFAS above specific thresholds
Reading time: 5 minutes
January 9, 2025
Public interest groups file lawsuit against the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over its refusal to address previous petitions to ban specific phthalates in food contact materials
Reading time: 2 minutes
December 20, 2024
Commission adopts ban of Bisphenol A in food contact materials; also applies to other harmful bisphenols; there will be an 18-month phase out period
Reading time: 1 minute
December 19, 2024
Study assesses migration of polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs) from polypropylene (PP), polyethylene (PE), polycarbonate (PC) and polyethylene terephthalate glycol (PETG) into olive oil; migration depends on plastic type, PAH type and temperature - being highest for PE, alkylated compared to non-alkylated PAHs, and at 125 °C compared to 20 °C, respectively
Reading time: 2 minutes
December 17, 2024
Fifth and planned final session of the Intergovernmental Negotiating Committee (INC) to develop an international legally binding instrument on plastic pollution took place in Busan, Republic of Korea on Nov 25 to Dec 2, 2024; no agreement was reached on the treaty text; extra session to continue negotiations being planned for sometime in 2025
Reading time: 3 minutes
December 13, 2024
Open letter signed by 50+ organizations calls for immediate action on food contact material regulation; cites presence of harmful chemicals found in food packaging and humans; says current regulation does not adequately protect human health
Reading time: 1 minute
December 11, 2024
51 plastic/rubber products and four microplastic types subjected to different extraction and leaching conditions, respectively; chemical composition changes with extraction method; leachate composition depends on salinity and temperature influence; extracts and leachates of similar chemical complexity
Reading time: 3 minutes
December 9, 2024
Scientists detect microplastics in maternal blood, fetal appendages, and umbilical vein blood; find no association between particle levels measured in different tissues; polystyrene microplastics induce time-dependent cytotoxicity, oxidative stress, and metabolic alterations in placental explants; reviews discuss microplastic association with different diseases
Reading time: 4 minutes
December 5, 2024
Civil society organization ranks 50 retail chains on use of toxic chemicals; finds most brands lack policies to adopt safer chemicals; ChemScore report assesses chemical producers for toxicity in their product portfolio; finds only marginal improvements over the last few years
Reading time: 2 minutes
