Food Packaging Forum (FPF) updates global database of initiatives and commitments by food brands and retailers concerning food packaging safety and sustainability; database now presented as an interactive dashboard searchable by company name, type of organization, location, keywords, and date; currently contains nearly 600 actions pledged or undertaken by over 320 companies
Compliance of FCMs in Northern Europe
Norden project on compliance of food contact materials publishes results; improved declarations of compliance needed
European Commission president announces new team
President of the European Commission announces new team of vice-presidents and commissioners, reduced focus on chemical regulation and the environment
European Commission: Current food contact materials regulation “sub-optimal”
European Commission (EC) publishes working document on review of whether the EU Food Contact Material Regulation (EC) No. 1935/2004 is fit for purpose; finds regulation is “partly effective” but “overall, the efficiency… appears to be sub-optimal”; presents concerns including lack of specifics for materials other than plastics, non-intentionally added substances, supply chain transparency, oversight, and structure of risk assessments
ECHA finds 1 in 4 imported products non-compliant
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) completes pilot enforcement project focused on restricted substances cadmium, lead, nickel; finds 23% of inspected products not compliant with EU chemicals regulations
Interlaboratory comparison of migration testing: Temperature control
EU Reference Laboratory for FCMs publishes a report on interlaboratory comparison for controlling the temperature during migration tests by article filling; results satisfactory only for 30% of the participating laboratories; follow-up study is planned
European Commission allows DEHCH for food contact
DEHCH deemed safe as additives in PVC for food contact; comes into effect 20 days after publication in EU’s Official Journal
ClientEarth: EU Commission delays decisions on chemicals
New study by ClientEarth finds that decisions by European Commission on use of substances of very high concern are ‘delayed unreasonably’ in most cases
Public consultation on bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics
European Commission (EC) opens a public comment period on biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics; consultation will advise EC during development of new policies for these plastics; three areas of particular focus: sustainability of feedstocks, verification of biodegradation claims, and “widespread confusion” among consumers on terms and proper disposal routes; comment period open until March 15, 2022
Opinion: Commission blocked EDC criteria
EurActiv reports that Commission president impeded endocrine disruptor criteria and other environmental legislation initiatives