News Article

Report critically reviews brands’ plastics commitments

New report by the Changing Markets Foundation investigates commitments on plastic packaging made by largest food and consumer goods companies; criticizes consistently failed promises, sees voluntary initiatives as tactics to distract from and avoid responsibility

News Article

Gain weight because of endocrine disruption?

A study by scientists from the New York University’s School of Medicine published in September 2012 found elevated levels of a common food contact substance, bisphenol A (BPA), to be associated with a higher risk for being overweight in children and adolescents. The study used nationally representative data from the National Health and Nutrition Examination Survey (NHANES) study collected in 6 to 19 year old US inhabitants. The study’s design does not permit conclusions regarding causation, however biological plausible explanations of how BPA may cause overweight or obesity do exist, making the study relevant and highlighting the need for further research.

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Stakeholders discuss waste management challenges of plastics

Publications from government, academia, civil society organizations, and consultancies paint problematic picture of a circular plastics economy; plastic packaging waste per person found to increase over last decade; low percentage of plastic produced is effectively recycled; pyrolysis (a type of chemical recycling) of plastics produces 9x more emissions than mechanical recycling; “biodegradable” and “compostable” plastics found to not break down in home compost systems