New certification scheme by AIMPLAS tests chemical safety of reusable plastic food packaging prior to consumer use, including non-intentionally added substances (NIAS); tests physical characteristics after five dishwasher cycles
August 8, 2022
NGO coalition launches campaign on food packaging
Zero Waste Europe, CHEMTrust, and HEAL launch website for toxic free food packaging campaign; campaign focuses on the revision of the EU food contact materials law
August 5, 2022
Scientists explore international bisphenol levels in packaging, food, and urine
Four studies investigate bisphenol (BP) migration from packaging, occurrence in foodstuff, and human urine; report BPA migration from Nigerian epoxy-coated cans into malt drinks; detect four bisphenols in packaged water and honey samples; find BPS in Canadian meat products from 2008 to 2020 suggesting BPS is not a recent phenomenon; measure higher bisphenol alternative levels in Belgian population in 2018 than 2015
August 4, 2022
US FDA updates to food contact inventory since April
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds 18 new entries to its Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substance Notifications (FCNs) since April 2022
August 3, 2022
Research defines PFAS planetary boundary and calculates human health costs
Scientists suggest per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in environmental media represent a new planetary boundary that has been exceeded; calculate that regulatory action on PFAS use and remediation may provide substantial economic benefits through reduction of health-related costs
August 2, 2022
Plastics policy in the UK needs clarity and reform
Greenpeace and Everyday Plastic publish results from voluntary plastic waste audit of nearly 100,000 UK homes; finds UK households throw away nearly 100 billion pieces of plastic a year, 83% of which is from food and drinks; waste organizations within the country ask for stronger policies and more clarity on existing goals
July 28, 2022
EU initiative for more efficient and effective chemical data sharing
European Commission opens comment period on a plan to increase data transparency and data sharing about chemicals between EU institutions, Member States, and the public; goal to increase harmonization and sharing of information among the more than 40 chemical “legislative instruments” within the EU; comment period open until August 16, 2022
July 28, 2022
Researches develop and evaluate methods for food contact chemical determination
Propose method to analyze chemical markers of mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) from printing inks in food packaging; present workflow that includes in silico prediction tools to identify nonvolatile migrates from food packaging; evaluate efficiency and reliability of methodology for non-target identification of volatile substances
July 27, 2022
Update: FDA extends phthalate data collection period
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) extends data submission period for its request for information about phthalates in food contact use; length of extension currently unknown
July 27, 2022
State and national governments acting on PFAS
United States Senate Committee on Health Education Labor and Pensions adds the Keep Food Containers Safe from PFAS Act as amendment to Food and Drug Administration funding bill; if it passes, PFAS would be banned in food packaging by January 1, 2024; trade groups in US state of Maine protest PFAS notification; Belgium plans national ban on PFAS if EU does not act by 2023; Japan bans 56 PFOA-related substances; Mexico proposes PFOS, PFOA import and export restrictions
