News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
April 1, 2022
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) removes the last two per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) from the agency’s Safer Chemical Ingredients List; Safer Choice Program products to be PFAS-free by March 2023; issues letter to handlers of fluorinated polyolefin containers raising awareness for presence of unintended PFAS that may violate Toxic Substances Control Act (TSCA)
Reading time: 2 minutes
March 31, 2022
Reporters from Bloomberg track three pieces of flexible plastic after they were placed in British grocery store recycling bins; some flexible plastics are recyclable, but others may end up burned for energy; one product ended up in Poland, likely burned in a cement factory; another in a Turkish facility where recycling is questionable
Reading time: 0 minutes
March 30, 2022
Standing Committee of the European Commission debates a slightly revised draft regulation on recycled plastics in food contact materials (FCMs); voting carried out as written procedure; final decision expected to be favorable
Reading time: 2 minutes
March 30, 2022
Market research from German consumer organization Verbraucherzentrale Bundesverband (VZBV) finds consumers are concerned about food packaging safety but have little understanding of chemicals in packaging; consumers assume all food contact materials and their components have been tested for safety
Reading time: 3 minutes
March 29, 2022
Consumer Reports tests 118 food packaging products from 24 US fast food and grocery chains; finds PFAS in over half of the products; nearly one third of packaging products contain over 20 ppm and 22 over 100 ppm organic fluorine; several brands commit or re-commit to removing intentionally added PFAS from their packaging
Topics: PFAS
Reading time: 4 minutes
March 24, 2022
New initiative to create reusable packaging system for Flemish region of Belgium; over 80 companies across the food, consumer products, and packaging supply chain sign on; Belgian federal government launching action plan on endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs)
Reading time: 2 minutes
March 21, 2022
Scientists review the association between bisphenol A (BPA) exposure and declines in semen quality based on animal and epidemiological studies; assess weight of evidence of associations and estimate BPA reference dose of 0.003 µg/kg/d for male reproductive health for use in mixture risk assessments
Reading time: 2 minutes
March 18, 2022
California Ocean Protection Council (COPC) publishes unanimously-approved roadmap for state microplastics policy; includes 22 possible immediate actions to limit microplastics based on current knowledge and a 13-point research strategy to inform later actions; German government publishes report on the state of knowledge of microplastics pollution and options for action
Reading time: 3 minutes
March 18, 2022
Epidemiological studies investigate association between diet and endocrine-disrupting chemical (EDC) exposure; find recommended healthy diets not protective against EDC exposure; report association of plastic-free diet with reduced urinary bisphenol A (BPA) in children; researchers performing bioaccessibility tests using gut fluids find release of phthalates and BPA from microplastics may pose human health risk
Reading time: 5 minutes
March 18, 2022
Over 50 organizations in Switzerland’s plastics value chain pledge to create a nation-wide, consumer-friendly plastic packaging and drink carton recycling system by 2030; aims to support a circular economy in Switzerland; packaging producers, brand owners, retailers, and recyclers committed
Topics: recycling, Switzerland
Reading time: 0 minutes
