Food Packaging Forum (FPF) critiques the European Commission’s proposed amendments to regulations on food contact plastics; says suggested threshold for non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) lacks scientific evidence; supports enhanced specifications for migration testing
February 23, 2024
Japan updates food contact materials positive list
Ministry of Health, Labor, and Welfare publishes lists of polymers, additives, and monomers permitted for use in food contact; enforcement of updated list and use requirements set for June 1, 2025; Japanese industry organization publishes discussion paper on chemicals management for products in the circular economy
February 22, 2024
EU policymakers push to address PPWR sticking points during final negotiations
Looming March 4th deadline pressures EU institutions to find agreement on open points within the draft Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR); steering note from Belgian presidency calls for compromises, highlights key topics; stakeholders express concerns over draft regulation’s lightweighting of materials, requirement for closed loop recycling processes, and handling of chemical safety
February 22, 2024
Switzerland updates federal law on food contact materials and articles
Removes list of unevaluated substances used in packaging inks; updates positive lists of for packaging inks, plastics, and silicones; brings ceramic and glass regulations in alignment with EU
February 7, 2024
Immediate ban on foamware announced by Lagos State, Nigeria
Nigerian states of Lagos and Abia ban single-use polystyrene foam packaging “with immediate effect”; give three weeks to use up current stock; other single use plastic products will be targeted later in 2024; federal Ministry of Environment also banning single-use plastics at headquarters and agencies
January 24, 2024
Indonesia updating national regulation on food contact materials
Indonesia’s draft food contact regulation reorganizes material groups; includes positive and negative substance lists, specific and overall migration limits; testing guidance based on food type, contact time, and temperature; public consultation closed in December 2023, final version expected in 2024
January 22, 2024
2024 food contact chemical and material policy outlook
Public and political concerns related to chemical exposures, human health, and environmental pollution continue to grow; brief overview of some of the EU, US, and UN policies and projects that FPF is tracking in 2024
January 11, 2024
EDCs in plastics cost the US $250 billion in healthcare annually
Scientists calculate US health care costs caused by a well-studied subset of endocrine-disrupting chemicals (EDCs) in plastics; estimate exposure cost $250 billion in 2018, equivalent to 1.22% of Gross Domestic Product; recommend addressing chemicals of concern in global plastics treaty to reduce disease burden and costs
November 14, 2023
United Nations commissioner recalls the human ‘right to science’
Explains that this right has never been that threatened before although key to the survival of humankind; provides six steps ensuring human rights to benefit from science such as a protection of scientists from attacks and against conflicts-of-interests
November 13, 2023
Global plastics treaty should include chemical simplification, scientists demand
Highlight reduction of chemicals used in plastics production as one necessary step towards safer recycling, in addition to stricter regulation to increase transparency on plastic producer side and phase out of harmful chemicals; call for inclusion of these obligations in global plastics treaty
