food packaging

In an article authored by Margaret Cuomo, M.D., a discussion is raised regarding the safety of the foods consumers are presented with, and the omnipresent chemical known as bisphenol A. The article begins by announcing the recent defeat of bisphenol A by the United States Food and Drug Administration, but asks the question: how much of a victory is this achievement?

In an article written for Forbes, journalist Amy Westervelt explores the phenomenon known as extended producer responsibility (EPR), a model which encourages producers to take control of the recycling process their packaging must undergo. While some big businesses support the model, not all plastic packaging companies are on board. Westervelt writes that the value of discarded packaging in the USA in 2010 reached a total of $11.4 billion, a staggering figure that has profound economic implications. If this is the case, Westervelt asks:

In an article run by the Washing Post today, writer Susan Freinkel reports on the disturbingly ubiquitous nature of plastic and its associated chemicals in food, as a result of contact with plastic packaging. She discusses a study conducted last year which showed that a descrease in the use of food in plastic packaging significantly lowered bisphenol-A levels in the body, and discusses the complexity and conflicting opinions presented by different organizations.

Huffington Post Food featured a blog post by Environmental Working Group President Ken Cook this Monday, addressing the United States Food and Drug Administration's upcoming descision on bisphenol-A in food packaging. In his article, Cook discusses the ubiquitous nature of BPA, particularly its presence in blood samples from both adult and newborn humans. Cook states that if the FDA agrees to ban bisphenol-A from food packaging, it will be a turning point in the history of the chemical. He states: