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Food for Thought
March 2024
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Welcome to 'Food for Thought', a newsletter sharing key updates on food contact material (FCM) policy, ideas for revised FCM legislation and useful resources. There are thousands of chemicals in food contact materials that can potentially migrate into our food or drink, and many of these chemicals can harm our health and pollute the environment. This is why we need more protective regulation.
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PFAS banned in food contact packaging under PPWR
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The final round of negotiations on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) upheld the ban on per- and polyfluorinated alkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging, which was introduced into the revised law by the European Parliament.
PFAS, also known as 'forever chemicals', are a group of thousands of synthetic chemicals that are used widely in the EU as well as in the rest of the world in a broad range of applications. Exposure to certain PFAS has been linked to a range of health impacts, including certain cancers and impacts on the immune and reproductive systems. Regarding PFAS tonnage, food contact material and packaging is one of the most relevant sectors for taking action on PFAS.
The final text of the PPWR can be found here.
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New factsheet highlights harmful chemicals in paper FCMs
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A new factsheet by Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) highlights the presence of harmful chemicals in paper and cardboard food contact materials.
Paper and cardboard packaging rely on additives and chemicals in order to perform their function as packaging in direct food contact applications. For example, PFAS are often used in packaging to provide water or grease resistance. A recent study showed that PFAS are still used in single-use food packaging and tableware, especially for fast food.
Due to the presence of inks, adhesives, or functional barriers - which may contain unsafe substances and non-biodegradable materials - ZWE states that current paper or cardboard packaging should neither be composted nor digested for methane production.
Read more in the factsheet here.
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NGOs call for action on BPA and other bisphenols in food contact materials
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In their responses to the EU Commission's public consultation on the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenols in certain food contact materials, many NGOs, including Zero Waste Europe, CHEM Trust, and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) called for strong protections.
BPA is the most well-known and commonly used bisphenol, however exposure to it has been linked to a range of health impacts, including hormonal cancers, heart disease, reproductive issues, and negative impacts on children's brain development. Other bisphenols have very similar chemical structures, and some also have hazardous properties. Many NGOs therefore called for expanding the scope of the restriction to include other bisphenols, to ensure a high level of consumer protection.
Read responses from Zero Waste Europe, CHEM Trust, and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL). See all responses to the consultation here.
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This newsletter is produced by a collaboration between CHEM Trust, the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and Zero Waste Europe (ZWE). Together, we are working towards creating a toxic-free environment where nobody should have to worry about the presence of health-harming chemicals in the products that come into contact with our food.
CHEM Trust is a charity based in Germany and the UK, with the overarching aim to prevent synthetic chemicals from causing long term damage to wildlife or humans, by ensuring that chemicals which cause such harm are substituted with safer alternatives. (EU Transparency number: 27053044762-72)
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) is the leading not-for-profit organisation addressing how the environment affects human health in the European Union (EU) and beyond. HEAL works to shape laws and policies that promote planetary and human health and protect those most affected by pollution, and raise awareness on the benefits of environmental action for health. (EU Transparency number: 00723343929-96)
Zero Waste Europe (ZWE) is the European network of communities, local leaders, experts, and change agents working towards the elimination of waste in our society. ZWE advocates for sustainable systems and the redesign of our relationship with resources, to accelerate a just transition towards zero waste for the benefit of people and the planet. (EU Transparency number: 47806848200-34)
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