News
The Food Packaging Forum reports on recent developments across the food packaging and health field.
June 23, 2021
EU Competent Authorities for REACH and CLP (CARACAL) subgroup members debate on the identification of polymers requiring registration and their grouping; consider different opinions of stakeholders on group size, acceptable hazard variation within a group and options to deal with the variety of molecular weights one polymer can have; discussions to continue until end of 2021
Reading time: 3 minutes
June 22, 2021
Connecticut, Vermont, and Minnesota join set of US states that ban use of PFAS in food packaging; Vermont ban also implements a procedure for considering phase-out of bisphenols in food packaging; Minnesota bill funds study to find which products within the state contain PFAS; Governor of New Mexico call on US Environmental Protection Agency to list PFAS as hazardous waste
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 22, 2021
Scientists investigate plastic monomers, additives, and processing aids for their chemical identity, use, and hazard classification; identify >10,000 chemicals; 24% categorized as substances of potential concern of which the majority is not currently subject to management measures; emphasize information gaps regarding substance properties and uses
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 21, 2021
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publishes five-year review on the operation of REACH and CLP regulations; discusses impacts and shortcomings; 71 chemicals added to harmonized classification and labeling list; in 90% of cases, chemical’s general safety assessment is performed and communicated down the supply chain but half are incomplete; 33% of safety data sheets for mixtures not compliant, 17% incorrectly classified; 44% of chemicals needing authorization due to health risks are being phased out likely due to REACH
Reading time: 3 minutes
June 18, 2021
Two new reviews investigate types, properties, and application of edible films and coatings applied on food; reuse of food waste to protect fresh food; addition of nanomaterials identified to further increase mechanical and barrier properties of edible films
Topics: active packaging, coating
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 17, 2021
2021 Smithers Pira conference covers global developments in food contact regulations and materials including a session on the risk assessment of non-intentionally added substances (NIAS); Marco Zhong outlines efforts China is taking to assess NIAS in recycled and biodegradable materials for safe food contact application; Marinella Vitulli focuses on applied testing schemes for NIAS identification, stresses that the right analytical approach is key
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 17, 2021
European Environmental Bureau releases discussion paper and policy briefs with recommendations for European Commission’s Sustainable Products Initiative; discusses ideas to integrate the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability into product regulation; also identifies measures to increase value chain transparency
Topics: NIAS
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 16, 2021
CUSP cluster launches with five research projects supported by €30 million in EU funding; aims to investigate complex relationships between micro- and nanoplastics and human health over the next five years; Food Packaging Forum collaborates within the AURORA project focused on early-life health
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 16, 2021
Over 100 businesses from the packaging value chain endorse extended producer responsibility (EPR) schemes for packaging; includes food brands and packaging companies such as PepsiCo, Nestlé, Mars Inc., and TetraPak, as well as NGOs, recyclers, and government organizations; endorsers commit to aligning their organization to EPR principles and support engagement with governments, peers, collaborators, and stakeholders
Reading time: 1 minute
June 16, 2021
2021 Smithers Pira conference covers global developments in food contact regulations and materials; opening keynote by Jonathan Briggs details latest developments on the European Commission’s (EC) update on food contact material (FCM) legislation; release of the EC’s final impact assessment pushed back to 2023, but staff working document on FCMs planned for the end of 2021
Topics: European Commission, regulation
Reading time: 2 minutes
