News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
July 5, 2021
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) releases new fact sheets on plastic, paper and board, metal, glass, and multimaterial food packaging; address material properties, applications, chemical migration, end-of-life, and recyclability
Topics: glass, human health, metals, migration, multi-material, paper and board, plastics, recycling
Reading time: 1 minute
July 2, 2021
Clinical study investigates 10 microplastic types in human placenta and meconium; detects polyethylene, polypropylene, polystyrene, and polyurethane in the samples; highlights that evaluation and control of potential contamination is crucial
Topics: microplastics
Reading time: 1 minute
July 1, 2021
Stockholm Convention proposal to eliminate use of UV-328 as plastic additive receives pushback from oil and chemical manufacturers; process preparing for draft risk profile discussion at upcoming January 2022 meeting
Reading time: 2 minutes
July 1, 2021
Review highlights that per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) are still present in several widely-used food contact articles; PFAS migration increases with decreasing pH, increasing fat content and salt concentration of the food, the temperature, and number of repeated uses
Reading time: 2 minutes
July 1, 2021
New Zealand Ministry for the Environment announces plan to ban many hard-to-recycle and single-use plastic items by mid-2025; includes food packaging made from polyvinyl chloride, polystyrene, and some degradable plastics, plus all drink stirrers, single-use tableware, and fruit labels; Western Australia moves Plan for Plastics ahead 4 years, banning most single-use plasticware by end of 2021; New South Wales to eliminate most single-use plasticware within a year
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 30, 2021
Thailand notifies the World Trade Organization of five draft regulations concerning plastic utensils as well as concerning microwaveable and non-microwavable plastic bags
Topics: regulation
Reading time: 1 minute
June 30, 2021
Literature reviews summarize in vitro and in vivo studies on micro- and nanoplastics; report on various exposure and adsorption pathways and toxic effects of plastic particles; human health impacts to be evaluated under realistic exposure scenarios
Topics: microplastics, nanoplastics
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 29, 2021
Canadian province of Ontario expands extended producer responsibility (EPR) scheme for paper packaging from covering half of recycling cost to full cost by 2023; adds single-use food packaging to program; legislatures in US states of Maine and Oregon pass EPR legislation that includes food packaging; governors of both states need to sign for bills to become law
Topics: Extended Producer Responsibility, waste
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 29, 2021
Scientific study examines chemical migration from seven types of food contact plastics available in South Korea; finds overall migration within national regulatory limits; considers estimated human exposures to terephthalic acid, acetaldehyde, 1,4-butanediol, and lead to be safe
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 24, 2021
Peer-reviewed article summarizes occurrence, source, and characterization of microplastics in food and beverages; reports highly variable concentrations within and between food categories; identifies water bodies, packaging, and food handling as source of microplastic contamination
Topics: exposure, microplastics
Reading time: 1 minute
