Medical professionals elaborate on health hazards connected with plastic production, use, and waste; give options to reduce impacts on humans and the planet; scientists summarize current knowledge on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) occurrence and migration from food packaging and microplastics
Minnesota bans products containing triclosan for state government
Minnesota stops buying consumer products containing triclosan over safety concerns
Opinion: Lack of EU action on EDCs is criminal
French MEP Michèle Rivasi urges EU Commission to move forward with actions on EDCs to protect EU citizens
California identifies candidate substance groups
Department of Toxic Substances Control announces candidate groups of substances used in food packaging to be priority products under Safe Consumer Products program; includes BPA and alternatives, PFAS, and ortho-phthalates; two additional workshops scheduled in November and January to discuss chemicals, answer open questions
Plastic container fluorine treatments create PFAS
Scientists from Environmental Defense Fund and Green Science Policy Institute find fluorine gas treatment used on “millions of polyethylene and polypropylene containers each year” including those for food contact; treatment can produce PFAS that migrate from the material
What is the best beverage packaging?
Article in Spiegel Online compares beverage packaging materials made of glass, plastic and aluminum; reusable glass or plastic bottles are considered most eco-friendly
Film about Marketplace platform
NGO ChemSec releases short film to bring attention to Marketplace, online resource for buyers and suppliers of safer chemical alternatives
PFAS testing prompts packaging changes from US retailers, restaurants
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
Scientific consensus statement on food contact chemicals and human health
Group of 33 international scientists publish peer-reviewed statement identifying seven specific areas for improvement, urge decision makers to reduce exposure to harmful chemicals present in food packaging and other contact food contact materials
UN report highlights impact of plastics on human rights
UN Special Rapporteur on toxics and human rights issues report on the stages of the plastics cycle and their impacts on human rights; calls “the whole cycle of plastics… a global threat to human rights”