UNWRAPPING the facts about hazardous chemicals in food packaging
Scientists, NGO advocates and communication experts meet in Scotts Valley to share facts and discuss advocacy on chemicals, plastics and food packaging
by Jane Muncke, Managing Director, Food Packaging Forum
Plastic pollution is in everybody’s mind and there are many solutions being discussed, for example using alternatives to plastics, like paper, or by recycling plastics. But plastics and other types of food packaging can contain hazardous chemicals which can transfer from packaging into food – and get into people when they ingest that food. Therefore, the Food Packaging Forum partnered with three plastics NGOs to share the facts on chemicals in plastics and other types of food packaging. The purpose of this collaboration was to enable NGOs to use scientific understanding when pushing for solutions to plastic pollution. One issue of concern is the regrettable substitution of non-biodegradable plastics with biodegrading paper – but containing highly persistent per- or polyfluorinated alkylated substances (PFAS). This swaps one problem for another.
On June 12-14, 2019, scientists, advocates for safer chemical use and against plastic pollution, and communication experts gathered in Scotts Valley, California, to discuss the latest science and share ideas on how to communicate the facts effectively to ultimately end plastics pollution. The meeting was attended by 120 people from across the globe. All presentations can be viewed here, and here is a brief summary of the event.