No one should have to worry about the presence of health-harming chemicals in the products that come into contact with our food. There are thousands of chemicals in food contact materials that can potentially migrate into our food and drink. In Europe alone, some 8,000 chemicals can be used in articles packaging our food. But many of these chemicals can harm our health and pollute the environment.

To bring attention to the health and environmental risks linked with food contact materials, EDC-Free Europe campaign members CHEM Trust and the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) have joined up with Zero Waste Europe to launch the ‘Food for Thought’ newsletter. Sign up to this newsletter today to receive the latest news and useful resources on food contact materials right in your inbox, or read the first edition here!

Current EU legislation on food contact materials does not sufficiently protect the health of citizens. In the EU, only a handful of materials - such as plastics and ceramics - are actually regulated. Other materials such as paper, cardboard, inks, coatings and adhesives, are not covered by specific EU regulation at all. This creates a system of varying national rules, and varying levels of protection from harmful substances based on where you live.

A revision of EU legislation on food contact materials that prioritises health and closes these toxic loopholes is therefore in order, explain CHEM Trust, HEAL and Zero Waste Europe. On 20th May 2020 the European Commission announced their 'Farm to Fork' strategy as part of the European Green Deal, which sets out plans to revise the food contact materials framework regulation with a particular focus on reducing the use of hazardous chemicals. A proposal for the revision is planned to be published in late 2022.