Topics
USA
June 12, 2026
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) publishes draft contaminant list that may require regulation under the Safe Drinking Water Act; list also covers microplastics; Food Packaging Forum (FPF) comments that measures to reduce microplastic exposure must begin now
Topics: microplastics, USA
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 10, 2026
California law to only allow recyclability labels on packaging if > 60% of the population has access to suitable recycling facilities goes into effect October 2026; packaging and food industry suing that law is a violation of company free speech
Reading time: 2 minutes
April 21, 2026
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA)’s Human Foods Program publishes list of research, data, and methods needs; highlights knowledge gaps for food contact chemicals; includes PFAS, microplastics, and nanoparticles; Program receives $109 million increase in funding from US government
Reading time: 3 minutes
September 11, 2025
MAHA Commission plan outlines over 120 initiatives; items related to food contact include GRAS reform, removing harmful chemicals from the food supply, microplastics; agencies to expand research on environmental exposures and cumulative risk
Reading time: 3 minutes
August 11, 2025
US Department of Health and Human Services, the Food and Drug Administration, and the US Department of Agriculture open comment period to develop a federal definition for ultra-processed foods (UPFs); data from 2021–2023 show UPFs make up 62 % of American youth's diet and 53 % of adults’ diet
Reading time: 2 minutes
July 11, 2025
About one third of US states have taken regulatory action pertaining to food contact chemicals, materials, and/or articles in 2025; predominantly (i) phase-outs of PFAS in packaging and cookware, (ii) bans on polystyrene foam and other single-use food-service plastics, and (iii) extended-producer-responsibility (EPR) bills covering packaging
Reading time: 9 minutes
June 5, 2025
Make Our Children Healthy Again Assessment aims to summarize US “childhood chronic disease crisis and any potential contributing causes”; Assessment mandated by Executive Order with additional recommendations and strategy forthcoming; part of the Make America Healthy Again (MAHA) project spearheaded by Secretary Robert F Kennedy, Jr.
Reading time: 5 minutes
August 28, 2024
U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) developing assessment process for chemicals already on the market; covers food and color additives, generally recognized as safe (GRAS) substances, food contact chemicals, and non-intentionally added substances; process will be structured based on risk, divided into ‘focused’ and ‘comprehensive’ assessments; informational meeting on the proposal September 25, 2024; public comment period until December 6, 2024
Reading time: 2 minutes
July 4, 2024
Food Packaging Forum (FPF) submits comments to the US Food and Drug Administration on the food additive petition to remove the authorization of fluorinated polyethylene in food contact materials
Topics: regulation, USA
Reading time: 2 minutes
June 5, 2024
Washington state Department of Ecology publishes list of seven new priority chemical groups for future regulatory scrutiny as part of the Safer Products for Washington program; includes lead, cadmium, and formaldehyde; earlier in 2024, Washington passed the strongest regulation on lead in cookware in the US
Reading time: 2 minutes
