Food packaging made of coloured paper and cardboard may contain and release harmful chemicals
08/27/2019
A new study by BEUC, the European Consumer Organisation, underscores the need for EU-wide rules to regulate non-plastic food packaging and protect consumers from potentially harmful chemicals.
New tests claim to show that food packaging made of coloured paper and cardboard may contain and release chemicals originating from the inks used for printing.
The claims come amid an ongoing shift from plastic to paper packaging for a range of products (coffee cups, straws, cuttlery).
With single-use plastics set to be banned in the EU from 2021, the BEUC tests have raised safety concerns over some alternatives like paper. The group says the results show the need for EU-wide laws regulating the use and safety of all paper and cardboard food packaging. It is worrying that paper, which is the second most used food packaging after plastic, is used in contact with our food without a safety net.” |