Article by product ingredient transparency app Code Check provides overview of some hazardous chemicals that can be present in food packaging; provides tips for reducing exposure
July 8, 2020
ECHA survey identifies drivers and barriers of chemical substitution
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) publishes report on motivations for companies to substitute hazardous chemicals; greatest drivers found to be regulatory restrictions under REACH, customer demand, internal sustainability strategies
July 7, 2020
FCM chemicals within EU assessment programs
Wide range of hazardous chemicals being evaluated across EU programs for industrial chemicals are also potentially used in food contact materials (FCM); analysis by the Food Packaging Forum reviews recently added chemicals, urges prioritizing known hazardous chemicals in FCMs
July 7, 2020
Proposal to allow easier removal of US FDA notifications
Amendment to current regulations would allow US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to withdraw food contact notifications (FCNs) for reasons other than safety; creates pathway for companies to de-list substances they no longer manufacture
July 6, 2020
Ecorys report on evaluation of FCM legislation
European Commission publishes final report developed by consultancy Ecorys on ongoing evaluation of food contact material (FCM) legislation; identifies lack of harmonization across many materials, incoherent risk management measures across legislation; finds that health benefits of the legislation outweigh it costs
July 6, 2020
High PFAS blood levels in German children
Biomonitoring study by German Environment Agency (UBA) measures 12 per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in blood plasma of children and adolescents; finds highest average levels of perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS), perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), and perfluorohexane sulfonic acid (PFHxS)
July 3, 2020
US military, European Commission planning action on PFAS
Bipartisan bill in US Congress aims to prohibit military purchase of food service ware and food packaging containing per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS); draft set of action points for European Commission chemicals strategy reported to restrict all non-essential uses of PFAS
July 3, 2020
PVC additive assessment tool
Industry initiative Vinyl Plus announces creation of tool to assess life cycle impacts of additives used in the production of polyvinyl chloride (PVC) products; civil society groups criticize the approach as ‘greenwashing and misleading’
July 2, 2020
EU to inspect consumer products for hazardous substances
European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) announces large enforcement project to check for presence of select hazardous substances regulated under REACH and persistent organic pollutant legislation; communication along supply chain to be evaluated; results to be released in 2023
July 2, 2020
EU publishes PFOA regulation
European Commission regulation restricts use of perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA), its salts and PFOA-related compounds as a persistent organic pollutants; sets maximum concentration of 0.025 mg/kg for PFOA and salts, 1 mg/kg for related compounds; series of exemptions also in place