Factsheets

Photo of different food packaging and food contact materials

Zero Waste Europe: What’s inside food-contact paper packaging? Plastic.

Photo of different food packaging and food contact materials

A new joint factsheet by Zero Waste Europe, #breakfreefromplastic, Deutsche Umwelthilfe (DUH), the Environmental Paper Network (EPN), Recycling Netwerk Benelux (RNB), and the Rethink Plastic alliance explores the material aspects of paper and cardboard packaging used for direct food contact applications – including, among others, the findings from the “Functionalisation of Paper and Cardboard” report by Zero Waste Europe: What’s inside food-contact paper packaging? Plastic.

Zero Waste Europe: Debunking common myths about food hygiene, food waste, and health concerns related to reusable packaging

A new factsheet from Zero Waste Europe aims to bust some of the most common myths surrounding food packaging. Misconceptions regarding food hygiene, health concerns, and food waste have been spread by the interested industry for some time. These concerns were raised especially during the current debate on revising the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation Zero Waste Europe: Debunking common myths about food hygiene, food waste, and health concerns related to reusable packaging

CHEM Trust: Factsheets on Harmful Chemicals in Food Contact Materials

Check out the new factsheets from CHEM Trust on harmful chemicals in food contact materials (FCMs). The factsheets focus on 5 countries (Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Spain) and feature information on studies that have found harmful chemicals in food packaging, biomonitoring studies, public perceptions and actions taken.

FPF: Food Packaging Materials and Recycling

The Food Packaging Forum has published five factsheets summarising the applications, material properties, chemical safety, and end-of-life options for the most common food packaging materials: plastic; paper and board; metal; glass; and multimaterial. The factsheets explain why and how material properties have an influence on the chemical safety as well as the recyclability. See the factsheets here.

FPF: Food Packaging and Human Health

Food packaging is highly essential for protecting and handling food from farm to fork. However, packaging is also a source of chemical contamination of food. For more information, see this factsheet from the Food Packaging Forum. The fact sheet is available in 18 different languages.

HEAL: The Problems with PFAS

PFAS (per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances) are a class of thousands of “forever chemicals” constituting a global threat to public and environmental health.1

BEUC: Factsheet on FCMs

FCM producers are not required to assess – let alone minimise – potential food contaminants released from their packaging materials or products. Overall, this situation is unacceptable, and calls for a rethink of the EU’s FCM legislation to better protect European consumers.