Topics
recycling
January 11, 2023
Scientists report most large companies commit to reducing plastic pollution but focus on recycling; extrusion of recycled materials and legacy compounds in recycled materials as safety challenge; some substances increase others decrease with the increase in recycled content in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles; tentatively identify 212 volatile chemicals in 57 different recycled PET flakes available in China; present migration model to characterize the exposure and risk of PET oligomers
Reading time: 8 minutes
November 14, 2022
Material flow analysis on microplastics provides recommendations for reducing microplastics in the Netherlands; effective measures include extension of deposit schemes on returnable plastics, research in improved recycling technologies, and “R-strategies”
Reading time: 2 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
October 19, 2022
On the morning of the Food Packaging Forum’s annual workshop, speakers discuss changes in food contact material (FCM) regulation in the EU, US, and Asia; panels discuss key research and policy developments over the last decade
Topics: 2022 workshop, china, endocrine disruptor, EU, European Parliament, India, Indonesia, Japan, LCA, Philippines, recycling, Thailand, USA, workshop
Reading time: 10 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
September 20, 2022
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
Reading time: 3 minutes
September 15, 2022
Confederation of Paper Industries, publishes guide for packaging designers to increase recyclability of paper products; to improve recycling quality, suggests limiting laminates, coatings, inks, varnishes, and adhesives to no more than 10% of pack weight, aspirational goal of 5%; standard paper mills cannot process much laminate, e.g. coffee cups, cold cups, beverage cartons
Reading time: 3 minutes
September 14, 2022
New Zealand Food Safety Science and Research Center publishes webpage with resources to inform and guide local food brands about use of recycled food packaging; includes concerns about chemical migration, outlines questions to consider when adopting new packaging; New Zealand Food and Grocery Council commits to increasing adoption of standardized recycling labels
Topics: New Zealand, recycling
Reading time: 2 minutes
September 7, 2022
Zero Waste Europe and Eunomia investigate the circularity of single-use container glass in Germany, France, the UK and US; Germany has the highest collection rates for glass and the highest proportion of recycled glass in containers; US is the lowest due to lack of collection facilities and mixed collection of glass with other packaging types; collecting glass separately and by color is the most effective way to increase circularity
Reading time: 3 minutes
