News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
May 9, 2023
US state of Oregon passes bill to reduce plastic, ban PFAS in food packaging, and to amend health regulations around reusables; SB 543 phases out polystyrene foam dishware, packing peanuts, and coolers, also prohibits the use of PFAS in food packaging; SB 545 will make it easier for restaurants to offer reusable containers to customers
Reading time: 0 minutes
May 9, 2023
Google wants to remove single-use plastics from onsite food service operations; announces new challenge seeking applications from innovators with preferably reusable packaging options; applicants are encouraged to register their interest in the challenge by May 30, 2023
Topics: reuse
Reading time: 0 minutes
May 8, 2023
Technical report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) informs about “chemical-related issues of plastic pollution and options to address them”; finds 13,000 chemicals present in plastic; 7,000 have hazard data of which 3,200 are chemicals of concern; outlines chemical groups, use sectors of concern, human and ecosystem exposure, gaps and improvement options including substitution and waste management in a circular economy
Reading time: 3 minutes
May 8, 2023
11th meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Stockholm Convention lists UV absorber as Persistent Organic Pollutant (POP); first non-halogenated POP under the Convention; also listing of flame retardant dechlorane plus and pesticide methoxychlor in Annex A
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 8, 2023
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes draft national strategy to prevent plastic pollution; outlines goals to reduce pollution during plastic production, improve recycling/reuse, and remove microplastics from waterways
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 8, 2023
Department of Food Technology and Quality Control in Nepal announces that newsprint will soon be banned as street food packaging to limit harmful chemicals in food
Reading time: 1 minute
May 4, 2023
Canadian government plans to establish federal plastics registry and release regulatory framework for plastic packaging; aim to improve knowledge of plastic waste, value recovery, and pollution; measures are open for comment until May 18, 2023; NGO urges government to expand ban on non-recyclable plastic packaging and take further action.
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 3, 2023
International Life Sciences Institute Europe publishes document on analytical methods and challenges in identifying non-intentionally added substances (NIAS); focus on non-harmonized food contact materials (FCMs) including silicones, inks, adhesives; discusses strengths and limitations of various methods; includes proposal on communication along the supply chain
Reading time: 1 minute
May 2, 2023
Researchers report plastic fragments may exacerbate breast cancer metastasis; review summarizes nanoplastic uptake into human cells; studies find occupational microplastics exposure can be reduced by wearing face masks; millions of micro- and nanoplastics are released during 30-second food blending; scientists more worried about microplastic impacts on the environment than humans
Reading time: 6 minutes
April 27, 2023
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) responds to European Commission’s call for feedback on the proposed packaging and packaging waste regulation (PPWR); FPF highlights aspects of food packaging and chemical safety that should be included in future versions; primarily (i) considering presence of hazardous chemicals in packaging materials meant to be recycled or reused, (ii) clearly defining compostable packaging and guaranteeing safety, and (iii) defining inertness
Reading time: 3 minutes
