In an article published on January 8, 2019, by regulatory news provider Chemical Watch, Anna Watson, head of advocacy at the non-governmental organization (NGO) CHEM Trust, summarized the first outcomes of a research project on chemicals in plastic packaging jointly carried out by several NGOs and academic scientists. The partners compiled the Database of Chemicals associated with Plastic Packaging (CPPdb) and analyzed the hazards of these chemicals (FPF reported). Prioritization case studies identified several phthalates as urgent substitution candidates (FPF reported).
As the study “has exposed how difficult it is to get hold of chemical-use information,” Watson calls for “more transparency from the industry on the chemicals they are using to produce plastic packaging.” She further says that “industry must move away from using groups of known hazardous substances such as phthalates” and bisphenols (FPF reported). She believes that “industry can rise to this challenge” and discusses the Food Packaging Product Stewardship Considerations published in March 2018 by several food and packaging companies (FPF reported) as an example of a proactive industry initiative.
Watson concludes by highlighting the challenges in risk assessment of non-intentionally added substances (NIAS). She calls on the industry to “use fewer chemicals and ensure production processes are controlled in such a way that NIAS are identified and appropriately assessed for their health and environmental impacts.”
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Anna Watson (January 8, 2019). “NGO PLATFORM: The hidden hazards of chemicals in plastics.” Chemical Watch
