News Article
June 1, 2021
Paper in Resources, Conservation, and Recycling investigates chemical migration from recycled high-density polyethylene (rHDPE); when recycled milk bottles mixed with non-milk-bottle rHDPE, resulting plastic contaminated with chemicals of concern; rHDPE from well-sorted, decontaminated milk bottles may be clean enough for food contact; octocrylene and octinoxate still migrate at concerning levels, reduction may require further decontamination or changes in manufacturing or legislation
News Article
September 29, 2022
European Commission publishes draft amendment to the EU’s Classification, Labeling, and Packaging Regulation (CLP); adds classification of endocrine disrupting chemicals and adopts hazard classes from REACH; comment period until October 18, 2022; European Chemicals Agency proposes classifying 9 chemicals as substances of very high concern (SVHCs) including bisphenol S and melamine; comment period until October 17, 2022
News Article
June 15, 2022
US state of Washington Department of Ecology publishes reports on phenolic compounds (e.g. bisphenols) and PFAS in certain food packaging types triggering countdown until new restrictions; phenolic compounds in drink can coatings to be restricted beginning June 2023; PFAS to be banned in bags and sleeves, bowls, flat serviceware, open-top containers, and closed containers by May 2024
News Article
January 23, 2019
Swiss Recycling to host forum on EU’s circular economy package; discuss status of Switzerland within the field; registration now open
News Article
February 1, 2017
Scientists demonstrate high prevalence of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in U.S. fast food packaging; PFOA found despite phase out announced
News Article
April 3, 2014
New report by the World Health Organization’s Regional Office for Europe addresses the risks from exposure to endocrine disrupting chemicals, recommends actions at the country level
News Article
January 25, 2019
EU Court of Justice dismisses industry appeal against ECHA’s identification of DEHP as endocrine disruptor for the environment; case sets precedent for other ongoing suits e.g. on BPA
Resources Research Projects
August 31, 2017
The Food Packaging Forum is leading a multi-partner research project on “Hazardous chemicals in plastic packaging: State of the art, prioritization, and assessment.” The project runs from 2017 until 2019.
News Article
January 12, 2016
Article discusses history of PFOA, focusing on environmental and public health effects, legal consequences and regulatory implications
News Article
March 15, 2023
Several articles published since the beginning of 2023 have analyzed plastic particles in packaged foods and beverages, including salt, sugar, canned fish, bottled water, soft drinks, and cold tea; draw a connection to packaging and food processing; migration studies demonstrate particle release from plastic food containers and breastmilk storage bags; review develops 10 criteria for data quality assessment and find most studies “unreliable” on one or more criteria
