Resources for eliminating toxic chemicals from food packaging to drive a safer future and a stronger business

On June 1, 2022, the UP Scorecard hosted a webinar featuring a deep dive into why toxic chemicals in food packaging are a business risk and what can be done about it; watch the recording and get access to all the new resources

Why urgent action on toxic chemicals in food packaging is needed

Food packaging is a critical part of our food system, but the hundreds of toxic chemicals within food packaging today put the health of communities, the environment and businesses at risk. As consumers’ concern about their exposure to toxic chemicals grows, so does the need for a new marketplace in which all food packaging is guaranteed safer for people and the planet. But figuring out where and why harmful chemicals are entering the supply chain, how many are present, and then navigating safe and sustainable alternatives can be really challenging for business leaders.

In a UP Scorecard webinar held on June 1, 2022, industry experts from Sodexo, ChemFORWARD, Environmental Defense Fund, Food Packaging Forum, and Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council presented a deep dive into why toxic chemicals in food packaging are a business risk and what can be done about it. The webinar presented the evidence showing why chemicals of concern in food packaging are both a consumer health and business risk, and it provided three steps companies can take to put safer food packaging on store shelves. The speakers also introduced a range of new resources to help you establish effective chemical strategies today.

Committing to safer food packaging can enable companies to get ahead of forthcoming regulations, build stronger brand trust with consumers, and signal to investors that they are avoiding product liability claims. Start today. Watch the recording of the webinar below, and read on for links to the various resources that you can use in addition to the UP Scorecard to start.

Get started today: Resources for creating safer food packaging

Consensus Statement on Food Contact Chemicals and Human Health

This consensus statement was published by a group of 33 international scientists from universities and consumer health organizations along with a separate declaration of concern signed by over 200 environmental groups. Both statements call for reducing consumers’ exposure to hazardous chemicals in food packaging and other food contact articles. The statement provides an overview of how current food packaging regulations including those managed by the US FDA and European Union are not protective enough, and it outlines critical gaps that need to be addressed in both policy and science.

Food Contact Chemicals Database (FCCdb)

Developed by the Food Packaging Forum, the FCCdb compiles information from 67 lists of food contact chemicals (FCCs) from publicly available sources, including regulatory lists and industry inventories. The current version of the database identifies 12,285 distinct FCCs that are potentially used worldwide in the manufacture of food contact materials and articles. Learn more about the database, download and explore the data yourself, and read the open access and peer-reviewed scientific publication about how it was developed.

Database on Migrating and Extractable Food Contact Chemicals (FCCmigex)

Developed by the Food Packaging Forum, the novel FCCmigex database systematically maps the scientific evidence of food contact chemicals (FCCs) that have been measured to migrate from food contact materials and articles into food. It is based on data from over 1,200 scientific publications and found more than 1,500 different chemicals were measured to migrate from different materials into food. You can search and explore all the data yourself with an easy-to-use interactive online tool, see some frequently asked questions and answers about the results, or read the open access and peer-reviewed scientific publication about how it was developed.

Food Chemicals of Concern List (FCOC)

The Chemicals of Concern (CoC) metric within the UP Scorecard is fundamental to helping choose foodware and packaging without chemicals of concern. An important component of this metric is the FCOC List, a first-of-its-kind, harmonized list of chemicals of concern that guides users away from known hazards and encourages them toward safer chemistry in foodware and packaging. And the FCOC List isn’t only valuable within the UP Scorecard. No matter whether you’re a food service company, retailer, restaurant, food brand, or foodware/packaging manufacturer, the FCOC List can be a helpful stand-alone resource in prioritizing which chemicals of concern to look out for and take action on in your own operations. You can read more in our earlier blog articles about using the CoC metric and making the most of the FCOC List across your chemicals management projects.

Sodexo’s Dimensions of Responsible Sourcing

At Sodexo, the concept of safer chemicals fits clearly into the organization’s Global Responsible Sourcing strategy through each of its three pillars. The need to ensure that harmful chemicals are not leaching into food through ingredient packaging or purchased food service packaging are part of its Health & Wellbeing pillar. As harmful chemicals make their way into our Natural Ecosystems through pollution, they have a disproportionate impact on individuals in poor and marginalized populations, which adversely affects Social Equity and in essence touches on Sodexo’s other two pillars as well. Tightening specifications on what an organization purchases can help, but this can only go so far. Working collaboratively to create standard tools and move markets is essential.

EDF’s Safer Food Packaging Tool

Environmental Defense Fund (EDF) launched a new interactive web-based tool that gives companies greater visibility into the chemicals used in the packaging supply chain. Including insights from packaging professionals, the map connects chemicals on the UP Scorecard’s harmonized Food Chemicals of Concern (FCOC) List to the specific packaging products and materials in which they are used today. This tool helps companies go straight to what chemicals matter most for the foodware and packaging used in their own portfolio, providing a useful starting point for conversations with suppliers. A user can drill down from a common item like a plastic pouch into the various materials, inks, coatings and adhesives in order to discover the toxic chemicals involved in their manufacture.

ChemFORWARD Plastic Additives Optimization Tool

The Plastic Additives Optimization Tool developed by ChemFORWARD supports the rapid elimination of chemicals of concern and the optimization of plastic feedstocks with safer alternatives to accelerate material circularity. The free tool enables manufacturers to check the chemical hazard profile of over 1100 different additives used in plastics and find safer alternatives organized by function and material compatibility. Incorporating authoritative and non-authoritative lists of chemicals of concern, including the UP Scorecard’s Food Chemicals of Concern (FCOC) List, helps users rapidly identify and eliminate harmful chemicals and simultaneously find safer alternatives. The tool was developed as an output of the Safe + Circular Materials Collaborative, a partnership between ChemFOWARD and the Sustainable Packaging Coalition.

Please note that this work is a starting point and does not cover all functional plastic additives – it is a subset of ChemFORWARD’s full chemical hazard database, and additions to the dataset are welcomed. Visit the project’s website to access the free tool.

SPLC Sustainable Procurement Resources for Safer Chemicals

The Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council (SPLC) works with institutional purchasers on developing and implementing strategic sustainable procurement programs. In the interest of supporting purchasers on driving the demand for safer chemicals, it has developed a Safer Chemicals Toolkit for purchasers. The centerpiece of the toolkit is a set of factsheets (covering the categories of furnishings, foodware, electronics, paints and coatings, and cleaning products) that succinctly and effectively communicate the key impacts and chemicals of concern addressed, model specifications, and additional resources. 

SPLC is currently engaging purchasers in a pilot program to test the toolkit. Interested in learning more? You’re invited to attend the next virtual Deep Dive event on June 15th for an inspiring keynote, a practical panel discussion, and a workshop focused on ways to integrate safer chemicals policy into procurement (where you’ll have a chance to learn more about the toolkit and pilot opportunity).

Webinar Speakers

Boma Brown-West
Director, EDF+Business
Environmental Defense Fund

Boma currently leads EDF’s work with companies to eliminate toxic chemicals from consumer products, packaging and food. This includes getting major brands and retailers to set ambitious chemical policies, increase transparency and invest in safer ingredient innovation.

Johanna Anderson
Director of Learning & Member Engagement
Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council

Johanna works directly with SPLC members to develop and implement strategic sustainable purchasing programs designed to drive market transformation. She leads program coaching for individual organizations and for groups and leads a variety of collaborative engagements.

Judy Panayos
Sr Director Sustainability & Supply Management
Sodexo

Judy currently manages Responsible Sourcing at Sodexo as well as holding board positions with Single Use Materials Decelerator, Global Sustainable Seafood Initiative and Sustainable Purchasing Leadership Council, where she is the board chair.  In addition, Judy has worked in medical device manufacturing and performing arts.

Stacy Glass
Co-founder and Executive Director
ChemFORWARD

Stacy is co-founder and executive director of ChemFORWARD where she is responsible for executing on the strategic plan for growth, impact and scale. Stacy develops key partnerships, collaborations and stakeholder engagement that support the mission of ChemFORWARD to create broad access to chemical hazard data and illuminate safer alternatives in partnership with industry. Through this work, she pursues her vision to end toxic chemical exposure and advance human and environmental equity.

Justin Boucher
Operations Director
Food Packaging Forum Foundation

Justin works across projects at the Food Packaging Forum to help decision-makers along the entire food packaging supply chain understand and apply the latest science on chemicals. In addition to academic research, he is a co-author of reports for the United Nations Environment Programme on chemicals and waste as well as a textbook that teaches fundamentals for the environmentally oriented design of chemical products and processes.

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