Recycled plastics are a nightmare concoction of BPA and phthalates, but recycling makes a great cover story for “greenwashing” the plastics industry
08/29/2024 / By Lance D Johnson
Keeping plastic bottles out of the landfills and waterways is a conscious, sustainable pursuit; however, these plastic chemicals are often recycled into new packaging materials, creating an unknown blend of synthetic chemicals that leech into the food supply, harming human health. While trying to protect the environment, we may inadvertently be harming ourselves, and the regulatory agencies are asleep at the wheel on the issue.
The U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) is facing mounting criticism over its lack of oversight concerning the recycled plastics that are used in new food packaging. Researchers warn that chemical companies are practically regulating themselves, incorporating a nightmare concoction of phthalates and BPA into recycled plastics. Unknown combinations of synthetic chemicals are being intermixed into new food packaging materials, ensuring that the current food supply is full of endocrine-disrupting carcinogens. To make matters worse, the FDA’s approval process does not adequately safeguard against the potential risks of toxic chemicals leaching into food products.
FDA’s review of recycled plastics is a voluntary process that allows companies to do whatever they want
Since the early 1990s, the FDA has approved over 340 voluntary applications for food contact materials made from recycled plastics, with the number of approvals increasing significantly in recent years. Approvals for recycled plastic products have tripled since 2019, going from 7-8 approvals per year prior to 2019 to an average of 23 approvals per year since.
https://www.pollution.news/2024-08-29-recycled-plastics-a-nightmare-concoction-bpa-phthalates.html#
