Inspectors and customs authorities to systematically check importers and manufacturers for registration obligations under REACH
New Indian food packaging regulations
New regulations set migration limits and prohibit recycled plastics in packaging; enter into force in July
EU Regions’ opinion on plastics strategy
EU Committee of Regions releases opinion urging that hazardous substances be ‘completely removed’ from plastic products by 2025, in order to boost circular economy
EU agreement on single-use plastics
EU Council and Parliament provisionally agree on new Directive restricting several single-use plastic products, including cutlery, plates, straws, certain food and beverage containers
EU Commission restricts four phthalates
EU Commission adopts decision to restrict DEHP, BBP, DBP, DIBP in consumer products on EU market; food contact materials not covered
Responsibility of (bio)plastics industry
13th annual European Bioplastics conference discusses impacts of plastics pollution, elements of EU circular economy package, food contact regulations, bioplastics market development, life cycle assessment, new building blocks
P&P conference 2018
Smithers Pira’s annual conference on “Plastics & paper in contact with foodstuffs” covers regulatory updates, summarizes industry initiatives, discusses future developments
Regulation of single-use plastics
UN Environment releases report on global ‘regulatory landscape’ for single-use plastics and microplastics in 192 countries, calls for more consolidation in policies worldwide
Opinion: Current chemical policy unsustainable
Thomas Zoeller from the Massachusetts University, U.S., warns that, unless status quo chemical policy is soon changed to become more protective, health effects of chemical exposures ‘will persist for generations’
ILSI report on food packaging adhesives
International Life Sciences Institute’s Packaging Materials task force publishes report on adhesives for food packaging applications