News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
November 23, 2023
119 plastic samples including polyethylene (PE), polypropylene (PP), polystyrene (PS), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) tested for mutagenicity; no DNA-reactive, mutagenic substances in PET but in 51 of the other samples, making them unsafe, especially for food contact applications; recycling process identified as source; dataset of over 600 organic chemicals in recycled high-density PE pellets published
Reading time: 4 minutes
November 22, 2023
Estimates that ten percent increase in reusable packaging by 2030 could eliminate over 1 trillion single-use plastic bottles and cups; finds expanding reuse to be more effective than expanding recycling; calls for beverage companies to set reuse targets
Reading time: 3 minutes
November 17, 2023
Earth Action (EA) publishes report quantifying plastic additives leaking into the environment; estimates more than 6,000,000 tons of additives leak into the environment annually by applying a mathematical modeling approach; briefing paper assesses environmental and human health impacts of plastic additives and discusses ways forward
Reading time: 5 minutes
November 16, 2023
Reveal financial disbalance in Zero Draft to favor recycling over reduction, redesign, and reuse; prone to result in even more plastic waste generation; call for finance shift towards upstream, midstream solutions such as clear and strong extended producer responsibility obligations in the global plastics treaty
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 14, 2023
Explains that this right has never been that threatened before although key to the survival of humankind; provides six steps ensuring human rights to benefit from science such as a protection of scientists from attacks and against conflicts-of-interests
Topics: regulation
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 13, 2023
Highlight reduction of chemicals used in plastics production as one necessary step towards safer recycling, in addition to stricter regulation to increase transparency on plastic producer side and phase out of harmful chemicals; call for inclusion of these obligations in global plastics treaty
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 8, 2023
In a comprehensive review, researchers from the University of South Africa discuss the monomer migration from plastic food packaging, focusing on known endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs); migration process, potential health impacts discussed
Topics: monomers
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 6, 2023
Says true circularity for PET bottles in Europe is unobtainable; limited by current mechanical recycling processes and infrastructure; argues that claims of recyclability and recycled content are misleading; calls for more standardized communication practices
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 6, 2023
17 uncoated food contact paperboard samples from Chinese companies studied; 344 volatile organic compounds detected including aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, ethers, esters, alkanes, and aromatic compounds plus 66 key odor compounds; 5 substances highlighted
Topics: chemicals, paper and board
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 2, 2023
Maine and Minnesota consult on draft policies concerning bans or reporting requirements on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food contact materials and articles; California Attorney General warns companies of penalties for selling or failing to disclose PFAS-containing food packaging and cookware; Nevada governor vetoes PFAS bill, state senator plans to reintroduce bill in 2024
Reading time: 3 minutes
