Food Packaging Forum director comments on report outlining food packaging opportunities for the upcoming UN Food Systems Summit; suggests including plastic pollution as a food systems issue for discussion
Multi-criteria framework to prioritize polymers of concern
Scientists develop holistic conceptual framework to characterize and rank the environmental risks of plastic polymers; tool can support targeted investment and mitigation strategies
US government and stakeholders debate how to improve recycling
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) sets target national recycling rate of 50% by 2030; stakeholders identify recycling data gaps as key limitation; call for new national standards and legislation improving reporting, use of recycled content; upcoming changes in government administration create uncertainty
OECD report on PFAS alternatives for food packaging
Report by Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) investigates market availability and use of alternatives to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in paper and board coatings; finds non-fluorinated alternatives available and effective, market uptake primarily limited by increase in price
Opinion: Plastic recycling a ‘false promise’
Engineer estimates U.S. plastic recycling rate below 5% in 2018, calls for ‘real solutions’ to plastic pollution such as reduced production of single-use plastics, implementation of deposit schemes
Marketplace for chemical alternatives
Non-profit organization ChemSec launches new online resource aimed to facilitate advertising and finding commercially available substitutes to hazardous substances
EFSA colloquium on micro- and nano plastics rescheduled
European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) postpones colloquium on micro- and nano-plastics in food to 6-7 May, 2021 in Lisbon, Portugal
Effect of phthalates on body fat
New study finds no associations between prenatal exposure to phthalates and percent body fat in childhood
FPF webinar on Chinese food contact regulation
Learn more about China’s updated legislation on food contact materials and additives with guest speaker from Chinese national reference laboratory for FCMs; registration now open
Phthalates in vinyl gloves
Study by NGO Ecology Center finds ortho-phthalates in vinyl gloves used to handle food, urges use of alternatives such as washed bare hands, polyethylene or nitrile gloves