Unilever reduces environmental pledges and sets new timeline; new approach is meant to be more focused, long term, and systemic; receives criticism from civil society
May 10, 2024
Uptake of microplastics on the rise – especially in Southeast Asia
Recent studies explore uptake pathways of microplastics; uptake has increased in recent years; rapidly industrializing Southeast Asian countries more impacted; food packaging responsible for approx. 2.98 × 103 microplastics/person/year; higher exposure for regular consumers of bottled water, tea brewed from plastic tea bags, or ultrafiltered milk
May 2, 2024
Melamine migration from bamboo tableware in China
Study explores the migration of melamine, a suspected carcinogen, and its derivatives from tableware made with melamine-formaldehyde resin or melamine combined with bamboo or wheat straw, purchased in China; 35% of bamboo tableware samples exceeded China’s specific migration limit for melamine; many melamine-based products are marketed to children
May 1, 2024
The chemical and waste footprint of food delivery in China
Study uses online food delivery sales data from nearly 200 Chinese cities, combined with packaging samples from 18 of those cities to model packaging waste generation and chemical exposure from waste incineration; some degradation products with higher concentrations than intentionally added parent product; over 50 tons of the targeted additives likely released into the atmosphere from Chinese waste incinerators
April 30, 2024
China developing or updating many food safety standards in 2024
China’s National Health Commission publishes new standard for food contact adhesives, effective February 2025; also publishes food safety standards development plan for 2024 including three pertaining to food contact chemical migration; evaluation of food contact plastics recycling may also come this year
April 25, 2024
EU sets ground rules for ‘essential use’ of hazardous chemicals
European Commission adopts guiding criteria for determining the ‘essential use’ of harmful chemicals, emphasizing that their use is justified only when necessary for health, safety, or crucial societal functions with no alternatives; essential use is not legally binding until incorporated into regulation
April 24, 2024
Surveys show public overwhelmingly in favor of measures against plastic pollution
Surveys by Greenpeace and World Wildlife Fund investigate public opinion on plastic reduction; 82% in favor of reducing plastic production; 90% support prohibition of harmful chemicals in plastic
April 24, 2024
PFAS measuring protocols likely underestimate total concentrations
Study of PFAS concentrations in consumer products finds that US Environmental Protection Agency protocol likely does not “adequately capture PFAS embodied in consumer products”; also finds “large fraction” of surface and groundwaters exceed regulatory concentrations; “future PFAS environmental burden is likely underestimated”
April 23, 2024
FPF comments on proposed amendments to EU regulations on food contact plastics
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) critiques the European Commission’s proposed amendments to regulations on food contact plastics; says suggested threshold for non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) lacks scientific evidence; supports enhanced specifications for migration testing
April 19, 2024
Plastics Treaty should align circular economy goals with waste hierarchy, scientists say
Letter in Science by 13 members of the Scientists’ Coalition for an Effective Plastics Treaty calls for UN Plastic Treaty negotiators to integrate circular economy goal with waste hierarchy principles to encourage sustainable long-term solutions to end plastic pollution
