Behavior and labeling interventions to reduce plastic pollution

Three studies research plastic labeling shortcomings, effectiveness of behavioral interventions; article recommends plastic labels should include sustainability scale, provide regional disposal instructions, and list additives; review considers bigger picture, stakeholder diversity, and several techniques to increase effectiveness of behavioral interventions to reduce single-use plastic consumption; study finds social media does not affect consumer’s intentions to recycle plastics

What are bioplastics? New fact sheet answers common questions

Food Packaging Forum publishes fact sheet about bioplastics; clarifies the meaning of the terms “bio-based” and “biodegradable;” discusses aspects of bioplastic production, chemical safety, and implications for bioplastics use and disposal

Public consultation on bio-based, biodegradable, and compostable plastics

European Commission (EC) opens a public comment period on biobased, biodegradable, and compostable plastics; consultation will advise EC during development of new policies for these plastics; three areas of particular focus: sustainability of feedstocks, verification of biodegradation claims, and “widespread confusion” among consumers on terms and proper disposal routes; comment period open until March 15, 2022

Studies report on oligomer migration from food packaging

Scientists perform migration experiments for oligomer analysis; one study detects eight chemicals including six non-intentionally added oligomers to migrate from multilayer biodegradable teacups; second study reports on oligomer migration from polycarbonate tableware as ‘hidden source’ of bisphenol A (BPA)

European Bioplastics conference discusses bioplastics’ role within Green Deal

16th annual European Bioplastics conference focuses on role of bioplastics in EU policies, new opportunities of compostable plastics and their performance in the open environment, measuring and communicating sustainability of bio-based plastics, bioplastics market development, and applications

Two articles review oligomers and other chemicals migrating from bio-based products

Research study compares different techniques for oligomer detection and finds polyester oligomers migrate from biopolymers; book chapter discusses catalysts, volatile organic compounds, and additives in bio-based products, including their migration and safety

Plastic recycling: Future scenarios and behavioral influences

Five articles discuss future recycling and/or consumer waste sorting; outline future recycling technologies and recycled plastic applications; identify gaps between recycling technologies and targets of multi-material multilayer plastic packaging; find consumers wrongly dispose bioplastics and that packaging design affects sorting behavior; show single-use bag bans able to increase recycling contamination

2021 FPF Workshop: Tools to prioritize societal health

On the third day of the Food Packaging Forum’s annual workshop, speakers discuss the new Understanding Packaging Scorecard that helps improve packaging procurement decision making, how regulators assess food packaging in the lab and on the market, new projects investigating plastics, and how understanding game theory in group decision making can lead to societal benefits

Critical review discusses biobased plastics

Article evaluates pros, cons, and improvement potential of biobased polymers looking at production, end-of-life, environmental, and toxicological impacts; regards bioplastics as promising alternative but not without issues; emphasizes importance of considering economic, social, environmental, and legislative issues when scaling up biobased plastics

Studies examine bio-based active packaging and drivers to mitigate pollution

Literature review explores opportunities of bio-based active materials in food packaging applications and the circular economy; demonstrates high research interest in the topic over last 20 years; finds agro-industrial waste as promising, renewable, and environmentally friendly resource for bio-based materials; study finds circular economy to be the focus of perspective articles to mitigate plastic pollution but mismatch with psychosocial research