Canada most recent country to launch a plastics pact within the Ellen Macarthur Foundation’s global initiative; aims to by 2025 achieve 100% reusable, recyclable, or compostable plastic packaging, 50% effective recycle or compost rate, minimum 30% recycled content
Canada’s recyclable paper exports to India contaminated with plastics, investigation finds
CBC reports about Canada’s paper exports; finds plastic contamination present poses environmental and social challenges to India; recycling infrastructure unable to keep up
Scientific challenges in the risk assessment of food contact materials
The 2017 annual Food Packaging Forum (FPF) workshop featured high profile speakers and provided an ideal platform for engaging in inspiring discussions with different stakeholders. The FPF workshop is a unique event in the food contact materials (FCMs) world to get up to speed on recent developments in science, business, advocacy, and regulation. As in previous years, the 5th FPF workshop was also an excellent opportunity for networking. As a novelty, the FPF provided access to a live webcast of […]
BfR publishes EU Food Safety Almanac
German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR) publishes 5th edition of almanac; includes all the institutions in each EU Member State and ten neighboring countries responsible for food and feed safety, including packaging; provides diagram of institutional relationships and explains responsibilities of each institution
BfR informs about mineral oil migration
German risk assessment institute answers frequently asked questions about mineral oil migration from cardboard food packaging, recommends using virgin fibers, mineral-oil-free printing inks, functional barriers
FCM analysis at BioDetectors conference 2018
11th BioDetectors conference addresses use of cell-based bioassays in food contact material safety analysis
EC study guides creation of sustainable-by-design criteria
European Commission (EC) releases study mapping current sustainability initiatives and research applicable to creating sustainable-by-design criteria; particular focus on materials and chemicals, including a section assessing nanomaterials; finds few policies related to the production phase of a material’s life cycle; next steps are to identify specific aspects of sustainability to be covered in the criteria and how to evaluate them
Consumers concerned about microplastics
More than half of German population concerned about microplastics in food, according to survey by German risk assessment institute; 45% worried about aluminum in food packaging
Thailand proposes draft regulation for paper FCMs
Thailand publishes draft regulation for chemicals in paper food contact materials (FCMs), affects non-colored paper and board containers; limits concentrations of heavy metals, phthalates, bisphenol A and benzophenone; draft open for consultation until May 11, 2021
New research on chemical migration from plastic, paper, can coating, and reusables
Recent reports investigate whitening agents’ migration from disposable plastic containers; characterize 153 chemicals migrating from paper packaging and show estimated dietary exposure for children to per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) exceed safety threshold; detect brominated flame retardants in repeat-use food contact articles; review metal can coating literature concerning coatings types, chemical migrants, detection methods, dietary exposure, and regulatory