On September 12, 2023, nonprofit organizations Center for Environmental Health (CEH) and Clean Production Action (CPA) introduced a novel certification program aimed at reducing waste and eliminating hazardous chemicals associated with single use foodware. According to the groups, the “GreenScreen Certified Standard for Reusable Food Packaging, Food Service Ware, and Cookware” addresses the growing demand among consumers for products that prioritize safe chemistry and reduce waste (FPF reported).
The standard focuses on many concerns associated with single-use foodware and cookware, including exposure to toxic chemicals, reusability, and material-specific concerns on post-consumer recycled content. The certification comes in three levels that are partially defined by the strictness with which an organization tests for known hazardous chemicals such as per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), bisphenols like BPA, and phthalates, which have been linked to kidney cancer, infertility, and ADHD, respectively (FPF reported, also here and here).
The standard outlines criteria for reusability with tests particularly focused on the long-term viability of the foodware. A product containing any plastic or polymer components “must maintain its shape, structure, and function after 780 cycles in a cleaning and sanitizing process.” Testing to ensure that any recycled materials used in food packaging, service ware, cookware, and food containers do not contain known hazardous chemicals that can be introduced or concentrated in the recycling process must also be undertaken (FPF reported). Additionally, companies will have to confidentially share the full ingredient list of their products to obtain any certification.
“Reusables are a key component in protecting our health and addressing our plastic pollution, climate, and waste crises. This new safety standard is critical for ensuring that consumers, as well as restaurants, schools, hospitals, and businesses, are empowered to embrace the reusable revolution with products made with preferred chemistry,” states Sue Chiang, director of the Food Program at the Center for Environmental Health, in the press release.
CEH and CPA have developed this standard in collaboration with various stakeholders, including manufacturers, purchasers, and external scientific experts from nonprofit and industry groups. More details and context for the standard will be provided in a webinar scheduled for November 1, 2023.
The Food Packaging Forum together with other non-profits and international food providers including Sodexo, Compass Group, and Aramark are developing a tool for food providers to easily compare a variety of food packaging materials on multiple metrics including reusability (FPF reported). The Understanding Packaging Scorecard (UP Scorecard) is currently still under development but v0.3 is available to try. The methodology is also online and regularly updated to make the UP Scorecard as transparent as possible.
Moreover, on September 26, 2023, an international team of over 20 scientists, led by Food Packaging Forum (FPF) director Jane Muncke shared a new vision to work toward a world where food contact materials are free from hazardous and untested chemicals (FPF reported). Published in the peer-reviewed journal Environment International, the collaborative effort from scientists of FPF, its Scientific Advisory Board, and other academics proposes a new conceptual approach to move beyond current risk assessment procedures for food contact materials.
Reference
GreenScreen (September 12, 2023). “Groundbreaking Certification Eliminates Waste and Shifts the Food Service Market to Reusables.”
GreenScreen (September 12, 2023). “Standard for Reusable Food Packaging, Food Service Ware, & Cookware.”
Read more
Shanda Moorghen (September 13, 2023). “US NGOs launch ecolabel targeting toxic chemicals in single-use foodware materials.” Chemical Watch
