Thai Industrial Standards Institute (TISI) officially publishes standards for plastic utensils and microwaveable containers that come into contact with food; standards set migration limits for plastic food contact materials and defines how compliant packaging must be tested and marked; new standards effective January 3, 2023; improperly marked food contact articles will not be allowed on the market after the effective date
May 30, 2022
Drafting of the international plastics treaty now underway
First meeting to draft the international plastics treaty in Dakar, Senegal taking place from May 30 to June 1, 2022 with representatives from government, industry, and civil society; technical briefing on May 29, 2022 shares information on the relationship between plastics, chemical exposure, and human health
May 30, 2022
Report: European supermarkets falling short on packaging commitments
Changing Markets Foundation and Break Free From Plastic investigate plastic pollution related actions made by 74 of the largest European supermarkets; Total average score of retailers was just 13/100, only Aldi UK and Aldi Ireland scored above 60; over 80% of companies had no information on total plastic use which “casts doubt” over plastic reduction pledges because there is no baseline data
May 13, 2022
Virgin plastic production must be phased out, scientists say
Letter in Science argues capping virgin plastic production is the only way to address the plastic waste problem; even by changing to other materials, recycling, better waste management, etc. “annual plastic emissions to the environment can only be cut by 79% over 20 years”
April 28, 2022
Measuring plastic particles released from food packaging and in human lungs
Scientists investigate plastic particles released from store-bought food packaging as well as human and mice health impacts of exposure; report single-use plastic products release >1012 nano-sized particles during use; find microplastics to suppress lysosomal activity in mouse macrophages; first detection of microplastics within human lung tissue samples; in vitro neurotoxicity study finds microplastics negatively impact human forebrain organoid development
April 27, 2022
Packaging stakeholder guidance on converting to reuse, using safer additives
Sustainable Packaging Coalition publishes guidance for converting to refillable or returnable packaging systems; CHEM Forward releases tool to help identify safer additives to use in plastic packaging
April 21, 2022
Canada Plastics Pact develops packaging design rules
Canada Plastics Pact publishes nine golden design rules for plastic packaging manufacturers; include using a single material per package, avoiding polyvinyl chloride (PVC), reducing headspace , and switching to reuse systems; more than 30 Canadian companies have already signed onto 50% or more of the rules
April 19, 2022
National parks in Thailand ban single use plastics
The Thai Department of National Parks, Wildlife and Plant Conservation bans styrofoam packaging and single-use plastics from all 155 national parks in the country; those caught with single-use food containers, cups, or utensils could face a fine up to 100,000 baht ($3,000 USD); Elephants and other animals reportedly eating plastics in national park north of Krung Thep Maha Nakhon (Bangkok)
April 15, 2022
Shipping company to ban export of plastic waste
Shipping company CMA GCM announces it will no longer accept plastic scrap on board its container ships starting April 15, 2022; being implemented six weeks earlier than originally announced during One Ocean Summit in February 2022; meant to reduce waste exports to where “recycling or recovery cannot be assured”
April 14, 2022
Studies investigate extractable and leachable FCCs, present collision cross section database
Scientists develop collisions cross section (CCS) database for leachable and extractable food contact chemicals (FCCs) to help in chemical identification during targeted and untargeted analysis; database covers 1038 CCS values; study tentatively identifies >100 migrants from 24 plastic food packaging articles including 11 that are of potential concern or are priority hazardous substances
