EU Commission’s DG SANTE publishes Inception Impact Assessment as roadmap for revision of EU regulations on food contact materials; outlines eight main “issues” identified during ongoing evaluation, possible policy options to be considered by planned Impact Assessment; commenting period open until January 29, 2021
Webinar on PFAS testing methods for food packaging
Multi-stakeholder initiative ‘Charting the Path’ investigates current testing methods for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food service ware and food packaging; discusses recommendations for food service ware, fluorinated chemical standards, and San Francisco ordinance
Stakeholders aim for transparency in products
Governmental, non-governmental, and industry stakeholders launch two partnerships to help harmonize chemical regulations and reporting of chemicals along supply chain
Circularity 24
Risk and hazard are not the same
In the context of chemicals the terms “risk” and “hazard” have very different meanings; blog post explains
Rechtliche Herausforderungen und Lösungen bei Lebensmittelverpackungen
Replacing sticker labels with laser marks
Article in The Guardian informs about laser marking technique for fruit and vegetables; retail trial using technology as alternative to sticker labels on organic produce
France to tax non-recycled plastic packaging
French government plans to make products packaged in non-recycled plastic more expensive than those using recycled packaging
Plastic recycling: company commitments and chemical safety challenges
Scientists report most large companies commit to reducing plastic pollution but focus on recycling; extrusion of recycled materials and legacy compounds in recycled materials as safety challenge; some substances increase others decrease with the increase in recycled content in polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottles; tentatively identify 212 volatile chemicals in 57 different recycled PET flakes available in China; present migration model to characterize the exposure and risk of PET oligomers
Spain passes comprehensive waste reduction regulation, eases the way for reuse
New Spanish waste law includes extensive waste reduction measures and targets across the entire supply chain; bans bisphenol A (BPA) and phthalates in food packaging; mandates food providers offer tap water for free and accept reusable containers if customers bring them; 20% of floor space in large grocery stores must be for food without packaging; establishes extended producer responsibility scheme and bottle-to-bottle recycling program