Topics
plastics
December 14, 2022
Scientists perform suspect and non-target analysis of organophosphate esters (OPEs) in 100 food contact materials (FCMs) in Southern China; identify 28 OPEs of which 18 were identified for the first time; find organophosphate antioxidants as one OPE source
Reading time: 4 minutes
November 29, 2022
21 European countries joined forces to identify illegal import, trade, and advertising of bamboo-containing plastics; 748 cases of plastic food contact materials identified on the EU market and at border controls
Reading time: 1 minute
November 28, 2022
International negotiators prepare for first meeting to negotiate the UN treaty to end plastic pollution; scientists, civil society organizations, and governmental bodies publish reports proposing suggestions for what and how to negotiate; many reports support including controls on chemical additives as part of the treaty
Reading time: 6 minutes
November 25, 2022
Scientists share perspective that all chemicals in plastics need considering in the global plastic treaty also to not hamper technological solutions; recommend key elements to tackle plastic pollution problem holistically including less complexity, as well as more transparency and incentives
Topics: plastics, regulation
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 21, 2022
Zero Waste Europe and Eunomia publish report on the ability of aluminum, concrete, steel, and plastics industries to meet global carbon budgets; current efforts and plans are unlikely to be sufficient to limit warming to 1.5°C; call for urgent actions to reduce material use
Reading time: 3 minutes
November 10, 2022
Ellen MacArthur Foundation (EMF) reports progress, or lack thereof, on corporate packaging commitments set for 2025; plastic pact signatories increased portfolio of recycled, recyclable, or compostable products by 2% between 2019 and 2021; reuse decreased, and virgin plastic use increased; EMF calling for stronger governmental action and support of UN plastic pollution treaty
Reading time: 2 minutes
November 9, 2022
Publications from government, academia, civil society organizations, and consultancies paint problematic picture of a circular plastics economy; plastic packaging waste per person found to increase over last decade; low percentage of plastic produced is effectively recycled; pyrolysis (a type of chemical recycling) of plastics produces 9x more emissions than mechanical recycling; “biodegradable” and “compostable” plastics found to not break down in home compost systems
Reading time: 8 minutes
November 1, 2022
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
Topics: ASEAN, Indonesia, Philippines, plastics, POP, Singapore, Stockholm Convention, Thailand, Vietnam
Reading time: 6 minutes
October 26, 2022
Researchers develop high-resolution spectral database and method for the identification of 56 selected organic plastic additives; indicates presence of multiple additives when applied to polypropylene and polylactic acid food packaging; highlight chemical signature not polymer but product dependent and “bioplastic” just as conventional plastics contain harmful additives
Reading time: 4 minutes
October 3, 2022
Minutes available from recent meetings of the working groups on food contact materials (FCMs), bisphenol A (BPA), recycling plastics, and phthalates within the European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP Panel)
Reading time: 3 minutes
