European Parliament adopts its position on Green Claims Directive

Requires environmental claims to be verified by a third-party; addresses carbon offsetting schemes; disregards green claims on hazardous substances; vote will be followed up by new Parliament after elections in June

FPF comments on EU BPA restriction

Food Packaging Forum (FPF) submits comments to the European Commission on the restriction of bisphenol A in food contact materials; supports the proposed regulation; advocates for shorter transition periods, broader coverage, and development of more advanced detection methods

Majority of plastic food contact articles likely endocrine and metabolism disrupting

Two studies investigating chemicals from retail plastic food contact articles find considerable variability in complexity, with subsequent effects on cell-based tests of hormone disruption; many more chemicals measured from PVC and polyurethane than other polymers though the chemical mixtures from majority of the plastic samples are hormone disrupting; further evidence of PVC and PUR can interfere with GPCR-based cell communication

Scientists support EFSA’s revised risk assessment on BPA, commentary

Over 40 scientists jointly comment on chemical risk assessment practices; endorse European Food Safety Authority’s (EFSA) risk assessment on BPA; urge for more science-based regulation approaches

Behind the barrier: Complex reality of paper and board packaging functionalization

Dossier discusses potentially misleading “eco-friendly” claims on paper and board packaging, plastic coatings are often used for functionalization: e.g., durability, grease-, water-, and gas -resistance; some alternatives exist but are not yet widely adopted or approved for food contact; recommends prioritizing reusable packaging and enforcing policy changes to eliminate PFAS and misleading marketing claims

Overview of use, migration, and hazards of PFAS in food contact materials

Peer-reviewed study provides overview of 68 PFAS in food packaging and other food contact articles; majority of detected PFAS not found in regulatory or industry inventories; PFAS data of FCCmigex dashboard updated

PlastChem report synthesizes current science on plastic chemicals

Report maps scientific data on more than 16,000 plastic chemicals; finds gaps in current governance and knowledge that prevent effective management; recommends policy actions based on current state-of-the-science

Impacts of plastics across the food system

Policy brief from Scientists’ Coalition discusses how plastics in the food system from farm to table to trash impact human health and the environment; provides suggestions for how UN Plastics Treaty can address the drivers and impacts of food system plastics use

Provisional agreement reached on EU’s Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation

European Parliament and Council conclude negotiations on packaging and packaging waste regulation (PPWR); bans all PFAS in food packaging; targets at least 10% reusable beverage packaging by 2030; requires deposit return system for plastic and metal beverage containers; packaging reduction targets set to start in 2030

European Parliament votes to strengthen plastic waste shipping regulations

By a vote of 587 to 8, Members of the European Parliament voted to prohibit the exporting of plastic waste from the EU to non-OECD countries, strengthen regulations on shipments to OECD countries, and increase transparency between EU Member States