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The UK government implemented a tax on plastic packaging that does not contain at least 30% recycled content. The tax, which is scheduled to take effect in April 2022, is intended to encourage the use of recycled plastic and increase demand for recycled plastic. Additional information on the tax is available here

The Thai Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is considering updating the country’s regulations on plastic food contact materials to allow for the use of recycled plastic in contact with food. As part of that review, the Thai FDA has requested information on chemicals used in the manufacture of certain plastic food-contact materials (FCMs). It appears that the Thai FDA is considering revising Ministry of Health Notification No. 295 (2005) on plastic food containers to permit the use of these recycled resins.

Turkey’s regulations on plastic food-contact substances and materials were recently updated to align with the European Union’s Plastics Regulation, (EU) No. 10/2011. The new regulations were published in the Official Gazette, Issue 30989, on December 25, 2019, by Turkey’s Ministry of Agriculture and Forestry. 

On December 4, 2019, Brazil’s National Health Surveillance Agency (Anvisa) published Resolução Da Directoria Colegiada (RDC) No. 326, de 3 de Dezembro de 2019 (RDC 326/2019), the Technical Regulation on the positive list of additives for the preparation of plastic materials and polymeric coatings intended to contact food.

On June 2, 2019, the European Parliament and Council adopted the Single-Use Plastics Directive, (EU) 2019/904, on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment.

How are Colorants Regulated Under the Plastics Regulation?

What is the definition of a "colorant" and the definition of an "additive" in (EU) No 10/2011? Commercially purchased pigments (colorants) can...

The cost of virgin PET fell below the cost of recycled PET (R-PET) in mid-2019 for the first time since 2008 (when S&P Global Platts first began assessing flake prices).

The European Commission (EC) is currently working on the 15th amendment to the Plastics Regulation. In its present form, the draft proposes to:

The Single-Use Plastics Directive — Directive (EU) 2019/904 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 5 June 2019 on the reduction of the impact of certain plastic products on the environment—was published in the Official Journal of the European Union (click here to view).