European Commission and EU Member States agree to launch an EU Enforcement Action Plan on bamboo powder-containing plastic food contact materials (FCMs) to ensure that bamboo and other illegal plant-based additives are not marketed in the EU
FSANZ: No risk from food packaging chemicals
Food Standards Australia New Zealand (FSANZ) completes assessment of chemical migration from packaging into food, finds exposures ‘low and unlikely to pose a public health and safety concern,’ plans to develop information guide for businesses to support risk management
ASEAN member actions on plastic and chemical pollution
Nations in Southeast Asia collectively working on reducing plastic pollution and related chemical hazards; Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) signs off on project to “combat” marine plastic; Thailand plans ban on plastic scrap imports; new research available on sources of plastic pollution in Indonesia and Vietnam; Vietnam and Singapore implementing stricter chemical regulations; extended producer responsibility for plastic waste becomes law in Philippines
2023 FPF Workshop: Goals and policy processes for safe and sustainable FCMs
On the morning of the Food Packaging Forum’s 11th annual workshop, speakers share processes to measure sustainable food packaging while accounting for multiple concerns; three speakers share findings from developing frameworks to make packaging safer, account for tradeoffs, and reduce plastic packaging use; three speakers share how policy is developed at the United Nations and European Union
Belgium: Regulation on coatings
Belgium passes Royal Decree on varnishes and coatings intended to come into contact with foodstuffs
Replacing sticker labels with laser marks
Article in The Guardian informs about laser marking technique for fruit and vegetables; retail trial using technology as alternative to sticker labels on organic produce
IPEN webinar discusses interdisciplinary issues underlying microplastic pollution
International Pollution Elimination Network (IPEN) webinar explores issues beyond microplastic pollution into the relationship between the plastics supply chain, hazardous chemicals, and policy; speaker argues we need accurate descriptors of the problems around plastics if we are to create solutions; recording available in English, Chinese, Spanish, Arabic, French, and Russian
Harmonizing FCM regulation
Conclusions of Luxembourg conference on FCMs published; harmonization of FCM regulation at EU level desired, improvement of risk assessments and declarations of compliance needed
Scientists measure mixtures of EDCs from human placenta
Study by the European Human Biomonitoring Initiative (HBM4EU) finds chemical mixture extracts from human placenta with endocrine-disrupting properties, confirming developmental exposure to EDCs in the womb; novel method can help identify the link between chemical exposures and harmful human health outcomes
EC adopts regulation on recycled plastic food contact materials
European Commission (EC) publishes new regulation encompassing recycling processes for all plastics intended to come into contact with food; outlines authorization procedure for recyclers, enforcement for Member States