News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
February 22, 2024
Removes list of unevaluated substances used in packaging inks; updates positive lists of for packaging inks, plastics, and silicones; brings ceramic and glass regulations in alignment with EU
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 14, 2024
EU Joint Research Centre (JRC) publishes improved model of plastic product flows and recycling in the EU; new model design is easy to update when new information becomes publicly available; Canada consulting on a draft plastic products registry to track plastic flows in the country
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 12, 2024
European Commission proposes ban on bisphenol A in food contact with a 36-month transition period for varnishes, coatings and professional production equipment, 18 months for most everything else; monitoring of unintentional BPA in recycled paper and board proposed to be left to business operators; submit comments until March 8, 2024
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 12, 2024
European Parliament opening internal investigation into lobbyist conduct related to the packaging and packaging waste regulation; civil society organization Corporate Europe Observatory publishes report of industry arguments made to DG Grow and DG Environment about the essential use concept
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 9, 2024
Three studies investigate micro- and nanoplastics – source, organ deposition, and reproductive effects; detect up to 240,000 plastic particles/L in bottled water with 90% being nanoplastics; find microplastics in human lung, intestine, and kidney tissues; polyethylene particles found to affect placental function in mice
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 8, 2024
EU Parliamentarians overwhelmingly approve new directive to limit sustainability certifications and claims such as “eco friendly”, “biodegradable”, and “natural” without proof; offsets to earn environmental claims will also no longer be allowed
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 8, 2024
Scientists review and briefly summarize available scientific literature on each step of microplastic exposure from source to effect in humans; includes sections on sources of microplastics, exposure routes, levels, deposition in the body, and confirmed health effects; highlight current shortcomings
Topics: human health, microplastic
Reading time: 1 minute
February 7, 2024
Nigerian states of Lagos and Abia ban single-use polystyrene foam packaging “with immediate effect”; give three weeks to use up current stock; other single use plastic products will be targeted later in 2024; federal Ministry of Environment also banning single-use plastics at headquarters and agencies
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 1, 2024
Researchers expand list of known substances with characteristics linked to breast cancer by more than four-fold; many are in standard consumer products, including 189 in food contact according to FPF’s database on migrating and extractable food contact chemicals (FCCmigex); authors call for improved hazard identification methods, advocate for more comprehensive chemical testing, especially focusing on the mammary gland and broader range of chemicals
Reading time: 4 minutes
January 30, 2024
Study analyzes non-volatile compounds migrating from nine different printed and non-printed paper straws into soda; identifies 19 chemicals in concentrations up to 3.6 mg/kg soda; chemicals include suspected carcinogen and endocrine disruptors; findings suggest paper straws are not a safer alternative to plastic straws
Reading time: 2 minutes
