Document vBaRovrmg9bm6e5kwzVGy3mJY

bs : set: sms eet. resananze2sas- oareza2t a emma cocn aa iAnnEsTn OcNoEAnTsACT,EA: = I Fl L HLt ApogA na: ssrA mps pT ensions. Eee s ot en serrhhepnnt joint study about the presence of per- and polyfluorinated compounds (PFAS) in food contact articles for Sustainability (CSS). r rein he mse Heche tof es o rkiplt hah re otndr inr008 food packaging and tableware", single use paper, board and moulded plant fibre food packaging and packaging. ewan. noose ond pati ndtableware nage Ts a ts es toons PEAS stent wsconfimedin 2 ufte 2 ample srfotelson T um T Te e ) ~The PFAS present in some of the samples analysed showed the potential to impair - In Denmark, which is the only country that had introduced a ban on PFAS in food packaging, none of the sampled McDonald's French fries' bags exhibited any PFAS treatment - in contrast to samples of the exact same items in other countries, for instance the Czech Republic and the United Kingdom. This shows the success of the Danish regulatory effort on PFAS and the related swift adaptation from market players to find safe substitutes. However, this also highlights the lack of harmonised protection for citizens across the Europe. Because all PFAS compounds are very persistent, their widespread presence in disposable items produced in high volumes and with a very high turnover rate is of great concern. Our findings confirm an accelerating trend of PFAS accumulation in our environment, which endangers human health and wildlife as well as the achievement of a clean circular economy. This is in contrast to the objectives set in the EU Green Deal and the CSS, which includes specific actions to address PFAS contamination in Europe. In our view, PFAS treatment in food packaging and tableware is a typical illustration of uses that are not necessary and can be substituted - either through safer treatment of disposable packaging or through the mainstreaming of collection and reuse systems of durable food containers in the food distribution sector. This fits perfectly in the ongoing Commission reflections about criteria for essential/non-essential uses as well as safe-and-sustainable-by-design chemicals. In the context of the Commission's commitments under the EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability, we urge you to support the swift preparation of the REACH restriction on all non-essential uses of PFAS and to proceed swiftly with the development of the promised criteria for essential/non-essential uses as well as for safe-and-sustainable-by-design chemicals. We would therefore like to request an online meeting with you in order to present our findings to you and to have an exchange about their important implications. We thank you for considering our request and we look forward to exchanging with you at your earliest convenience. Yours sincerely, Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) Toxics and Waste Programme) Arnika CHEM Trust , International Pollutants Elimination Network (IPEN) On behalf of: BUND - Friends of the Earth Germany Forbrugerrdet Tnk Kemi - Danish Consumer Council Gnrations Futures Tegengif Health & Environment Alliance (HEAL) #StayHome - we are teleworking due to COVID19 - reach us via email and phone MUNDO MADOU Visitors and deliveries: Avenue des Arts 7/8 Head office: Rue de la Charit 22 Website | Newsletter | Twitter | Facebook | Transparency