The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) issued a letter on August 5, 2021, to manufacturers, distributors, and food manufacturers that use fluorinated polyethylene food-contact articles to remind them that that only certain fluorinated polyethylene containers are cleared for food-contact use.

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) has proposed a Proposition 65 safe harbor warning for exposure to glyphosate from consumer products. 

The California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) announced the release of a draft document that describes proposed Public Health Goals (PHGs) for perfluorooctanoic acid (PFOA) and perfluorooctane sulfonic acid (PFOS) in drinking water.

The Federal Trade Commission’s (FTC) final “Made in USA” (MUSA) rule was published in the Federal Register on July 14, 2021 (86 FR 37022). The rule applies to all labels, whether they appear on product packaging or online, and includes mail order catalogs or mail order promotional materials that include a seal, mark, tag, or stamp declaring goods are “Made in the USA,” “Made in America,” or the equivalent thereof.

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has updated its guidance on the use of recycled plastics in food packaging.Guidance for Industry: Use of Recycled Plastics in Food Packaging (Chemistry Considerations) was first issued in August 2006. The July 2021 update includes “Paperwork Reduction Act information and non-substantive formatting and editing revisions.”

The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued a Threshold of Regulation (TOR) exemption (TOR-2021-003) for the use of metal carbides and metal carbide alloys as components of ceramic coatings in repeat-use applications. These applications include food processing equipment parts – such as nozzles, bearings, seal rings, pumps, etc.

Ontario’s provincial government recently announced expansions to its producer-led Blue Box recycling program. The update to Ontario’s extended producer responsibility (EPR) program will expand service to more communities and standardize the list of materials that can be recycled across the province.  The expansion will also make producers fully responsible for the cost and operation of the program.

New laws in Connecticut and Vermont ban the use of perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) in food packaging. In Connecticut, the ban becomes effective December 31, 2023, and in Vermont the effective date is July 1, 2023. Both laws define PFAS as fluorinated organic chemicals containing at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom.

Efforts to increase plastic recycling and reuse are underway both by industry and regulators. Three plastics and material science companies announced last month the establishment of the Closed Loop Circular Plastics Fund to invest in scalable recycling technologies, equipment upgrades and infrastructure solutions that advance the recovery and recycling of plastics in the U.S. and Canada. An initial investment of $25 million was made by Dow, LyondellBasell, and NOVA Chemicals.