Five articles discuss future recycling and/or consumer waste sorting; outline future recycling technologies and recycled plastic applications; identify gaps between recycling technologies and targets of multi-material multilayer plastic packaging; find consumers wrongly dispose bioplastics and that packaging design affects sorting behavior; show single-use bag bans able to increase recycling contamination
Studies detect microplastics in food and link it to packaging, processing equipment
Several articles published since the beginning of 2023 have analyzed plastic particles in packaged foods and beverages, including salt, sugar, canned fish, bottled water, soft drinks, and cold tea; draw a connection to packaging and food processing; migration studies demonstrate particle release from plastic food containers and breastmilk storage bags; review develops 10 criteria for data quality assessment and find most studies “unreliable” on one or more criteria
100 substances in CoRAP for 2019-2021
ECHA publishes list of 96 substances planned to be evaluated by EU Member States in 2019-2021 under the Community Rolling Action Plan (CoRAP)
BPA substitutes and chromosomal abnormalities
Mice exposed to low doses of BPA, BPS, diphenyl sulfone, BPF, BPAF exhibit chromosomal abnormalities that persist for several generations, according to new study in Current Biology
Microplastics in aquatic environment
Microplastics2018 conference addresses sources, fate, effects of microplastics in waste water and aquatic ecosystems
Researchers detect microplastics in human semen and heart
Four recent studies assess microplastics: in human semen, heart, from baby food containers, and suitability of in vitro models to investigate human health effects; find microplastics in six out of ten semen samples, find impacts on semen quality; samples from cardiac surgery patients contain microplastics in heart and surrounding tissue; billions of nano- and microplastics released from plastic baby food containers; outline challenges and recommendation of studying plastic particles in vitro
EFSA opinions on 10 recycling processes
European Food Safety Authority’s CEP Panel publishes scientific opinions on 10 recycling processes for post-consumer PET; all found to be safe for use in specified food contact applications
EU Commission presents EDC strategy
European Commission publishes communication outlining the EU’s strategic approach to managing endocrine disruptors; NGOs criticize lack of specific actions and missing timeline to reduce EDC exposure
344 volatile organic compounds in paperboard, new study
17 uncoated food contact paperboard samples from Chinese companies studied; 344 volatile organic compounds detected including aldehydes, ketones, alcohols, ethers, esters, alkanes, and aromatic compounds plus 66 key odor compounds; 5 substances highlighted
US FDA adds 11 substances to food contact inventory
US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) adds 11 new entries to its Inventory of Effective Food Contact Substance Notifications (FCNs) since February 2022