The European Parliament and Council have reached a provisional agreement on the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), which, if ratified, would require all packaging used in the EU to be recyclable, set restrictions on plastic packaging, and ban the use of toxic PFAS in food contact packaging.
States like California have been active in the past few years passing laws to regulate PFAS in products. So far, 12 states have enacted laws that ban or impose reporting or disclosure requirements for PFAS in products. As states continue to move forward with emerging PFAS product restrictions, those who manufacture, distribute, and sell such products must prepare for the changing legal landscape.
FDA has announced that, thanks to voluntary phase-out by industry, toxic PFAS are no longer being sold by manufacturers for use in food-contact grease-proofing agents in the U.S. FDA also said it is working towards a validated analytical method that would enable the agency to monitor the market for PFAS in food packaging.
Researchers from the New Jersey Institute of Technology (NJIT) have developed a method of detecting toxic per- and poly-fluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging, water, and soil samples in three minutes or less.
Researchers studied how dietary patterns relate to levels of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in the human body over time, and found that greater consumption of tea, processed meats, and food prepared outside the home was associated with increased levels of PFAS.
Adding to the mounting body of evidence pointing to the health harms of dietary exposure to per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), a new study by researchers at Aberdeen and Örebro Universities indicates that the “forever chemicals” affect humans as early as in the fetal stage of development.
The cannabis industry is no exception to the potential risks of PFAS contamination, ranging from possible health and safety implications to a business' litigation risk.
Brands, retailers, and post-consumer package handlers are focused on adding value with PFAS-free packaging. This article discusses how PFAS alternatives are gaining prominence, with PFAS-free packaging entering the food packaging industry ahead of schedule.
The World Health Organization’s (WHO’s) International Agency for Research on Cancer has classified two types of per- and polyfluoralkyl substances—perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctanesulfonic acid (PFOS)—as “carcinogenic to humans” and “possibly carcinogenic to humans,” and noted that the general population’s main route of exposure to these chemicals is through food and drinking water.