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European Commission
November 5, 2026
European Commission adds four substances to positive list of Regulation (EU) 10/2011 on plastic food contact materials (FCMs); includes 1) chopped carbon fibers for use in polyether ether ketone, 2) uncoated nano precipitated calcium carbonate, 3) poly(2-hydroxypropanoic acid), n-octyl/n-decyl esters for use in polylactic acid, and 4) mixture of 1,9-nonanediamine and 2-methyl-1,8-octanediamine to produce polyamide; some substances prohibited from use in FCMs holding infant formula and human milk
Reading time: 2 minutes
September 23, 2026
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) provides inputs to three public consultations on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR); developing sustainability criteria for plastic recycling technologies, conditions for using recycled materials sourced from outside the EU, and harmonization of recycled content calculations; FPF highlights need for chemical safety, transparency, and traceability across recycling technologies, imported recycled materials, and recycled-content claims
Reading time: 4 minutes
August 19, 2026
European Commission’s Joint Research Centre (JRC) publishes report on economic viability of chemical recycling of plastics; concludes that chemical recycling does not achieve cost parity with virgin plastics; may still play a role in supplying markets with recycled plastics considering recycled content requirements of new EU regulations on packaging and single-use plastics
Reading time: 3 minutes
July 20, 2026
Most food contact articles manufactured using bisphenol A (BPA) can no longer be introduced to the EU market; further deadlines remain for selected packaging and professional equipment
Topics: bisphenol A, European Commission
Reading time: 2 minutes
July 9, 2026
Report commissioned by the European Commission finds bio-based plastics could complement recycled content under the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation; recommends binding targets and sustainability criteria
Reading time: 2 minutes
July 6, 2026
European Chemicals Agency’s (ECHA) Committee for Risk Assessment adopts opinion on trifluoroacetic acid (TFA); recommends classifying TFA as persistent, mobile and toxic (PMT), very persistent and very mobile (vPvM), and toxic to reproduction; TFA is a degradation product of other PFAS, including some used in food contact materials
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 11, 2026
European Commission drafts restriction on carcinogenic, mutagenic, and reprotoxic substances (CMRs) in childcare articles; Food Packaging Forum (FPF) highlights inconsistencies with existing EU legislation that may result in lower protection against CMRs compared with plastic food contact materials
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 20, 2026
European Commission is drafting a regulation to restrict substances deemed to be carcinogenic, mutagenic or toxic for reproduction (CMR) from childcare products; includes some food contact materials
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 24, 2026
Corporate Europe Observatory investigation discusses industry lobbying against REACH revision; shows European Commission members met with industry 93 times, NGOs 14 times; highlights most relevant REACH issues discussed; summarizes ongoing industry lobbying techniques
Reading time: 2 minutes
February 3, 2026
European Commission report estimates cost of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) pollution based on four scenarios; completely banning PFAS by 2040 could save €110 billion; other jurisdictions also taking action to address PFAS pollution
Reading time: 4 minutes
