Topics
plastics
June 7, 2023
Global Plastics Policy Centre assesses approaches to adopt reuse systems to combat plastic pollution; review contains 320 articles and papers and 55 expert interviews; defines four-phase roadmap for transition
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 6, 2023
Scientists test polylactic acid (PLA) plastic advertised as biodegradable along with standard polypropylene (PP), and polyethylene terephthalate (PET) plastics for degradation in real marine environment; no signs of degradation found after 428 days; researchers say biodegradable might be misleading term
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 23, 2023
Scientists detect 509 food contact chemicals in plastic food contact materials (FCMs) made for reuse; 853 chemicals identified in recycled PET; study points out key knowledge gaps in available hazard data for frequently detected chemicals
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 19, 2023
Investors with over $10 trillion in assets call for urgent action to reduce single-use plastic packaging in the fast-moving consumer goods and grocery retail sectors; cite environmental, climate, and public health threats posed by the entire plastics lifecycle; express concern over the financial risks to companies and investors
Reading time: 3 minutes
May 8, 2023
Technical report from the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) informs about “chemical-related issues of plastic pollution and options to address them”; finds 13,000 chemicals present in plastic; 7,000 have hazard data of which 3,200 are chemicals of concern; outlines chemical groups, use sectors of concern, human and ecosystem exposure, gaps and improvement options including substitution and waste management in a circular economy
Reading time: 3 minutes
May 8, 2023
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes draft national strategy to prevent plastic pollution; outlines goals to reduce pollution during plastic production, improve recycling/reuse, and remove microplastics from waterways
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 4, 2023
Canadian government plans to establish federal plastics registry and release regulatory framework for plastic packaging; aim to improve knowledge of plastic waste, value recovery, and pollution; measures are open for comment until May 18, 2023; NGO urges government to expand ban on non-recyclable plastic packaging and take further action.
Reading time: 2 minutes
May 3, 2023
International Life Sciences Institute Europe publishes document on analytical methods and challenges in identifying non-intentionally added substances (NIAS); focus on non-harmonized food contact materials (FCMs) including silicones, inks, adhesives; discusses strengths and limitations of various methods; includes proposal on communication along the supply chain
Reading time: 1 minute
March 13, 2023
Scientists perform target and non-target screening of recycled plastics and provide recommendations on methods; detect >280 organic chemicals and metals in 21 plastic flakes and pellets used in recycling; analyze several recycled polymers and find polyethylene terephthalate (PET) the only one currently complying with European circular economy requirements; compare analytical methods to assess the chemical composition of recyclates giving their strenghts and limitations
Reading time: 7 minutes
March 9, 2023
Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) releases workshop report summarizing current challenges, policies, and potential approaches concerning the sustainable design of flexible food-grade packaging from a chemical perspective
Reading time: 1 minute
