Challenge

While the food packaging landscape is highly regulated in both the U.S. and Europe, scientists have made the case that current oversight legislation is woefully inadequate to protect human health and support circularity. In 2020, 33 scientists and 200+ environmental groups signed on to the “Impacts of Food Contact Chemicals on Human Health Consensus Statement “ (Muncke J, et al 2020, Environmental Health), warning that:

• Outdated and inadequate global regulations of chemicals in food packaging pose a growing risk to human health; 

• There are critical gaps in information needed to assess risks and safeguard public health; and

• Efforts to achieve a circular economy must consider chemical safety. 

There is a clear need for packaging to contain chemicals that are less toxic to people, less polluting of the environment, and more suitable for circularity. To do this, we must optimize feedstock inputs that are safe and circular.  

Approach

The aim of this Collaborative is to support companies in their circular economy commitments with material building blocks that are safe for humans and the environment across the product life cycle, and that contribute quality inputs back to raw material feedstocks. This will be achieved through:

• Establishing priority functional areas and agreeing on criteria for safer alternatives that will have the most impact on circularity initiatives.

• Identifying, assessing (using third-party toxicologists and a globally harmonized methodology), and verifying safer alternatives in up to three priority functional areas.

• Developing a cloud-based registry of verified assessed material building blocks for use in food packaging.

• Exploring material health challenges related to packaging through discussion, engaging with experts, and sharing insights and innovative solutions.

• Collaborating on best practices and developing a common agenda to accelerate necessary systems change