The EU will ban Bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenols from food packaging starting July 2026. BPA, used in plastics and resins, poses health risks including hormone disruption and increased risk of certain diseases. While the US has partial bans, the EU's ban is the strictest globally, though exceptions and transition periods apply.
A green group urges Hong Kong to align with national standards on excessive packaging, citing 2.7 million kg of e-commerce waste last year. A survey found 60% of respondents deem packaging excessive, with 76% frustrated by the waste.
Tariffs, once a dominant business concern, are now a "non-issue" for most companies. Despite new proposed tariffs related to forced labor, businesses are focused on economic growth, AI, and worker retention, expecting any new tariffs to be challenged and overturned.
The ACT government mandated compostable packaging at public events, but a lack of composting facilities means most of it ends up in landfill, frustrating vendors and waste advocates who feel misled by the policy.
A three-year-old boy swallowed metal wires from a cake topper, leading to a hospital visit. Following the incident, India's food regulator FSSAI has ordered an immediate halt to the use of metallic pins and wires in food products and packaging.
Single-use plastic 'franken-cans', often used for matcha or iced coffee, have been named the worst packaging in Australia at the inaugural Unpackit Awards. Environmental groups advocate for reusable cups as a solution, while refillable milk kegs won the top prize for best packaging.
Barnaby Joyce urged anti-abortion activists to 'keep the fires burning' in Sydney. Concerns are mounting over Labor's NDIS overhaul, a "franken-can" was named worst plastic packaging, and Trump reportedly argued with Netanyahu. Weight-loss drugs may cut cancer risk.
Mother Dairy is launching India's first naturally degradable milk pouch for its cow milk variant in Delhi-NCR, aiming to tackle plastic pollution from packaging that escapes recycling streams.
Australia's inaugural Unpackit award for worst plastic packaging went to a single-use plastic and metal 'franken-can'. Established by AMCS, Plastic Free Foundation, and WWF-Australia, the awards highlight plastic waste issues.
Student projects addressing Tuen Mun River pollution, biodegradable packaging from waste, and Cantonese language learning for mainland students were recognized at the Seek Our Ways Ideation Programme in Hong Kong.
Calbee has begun using monochrome packaging for 14 of its main snack products, including Potato Chips and Kappa Ebisen, due to unstable procurement of ink and other materials caused by the Middle East crisis. The company states this is a measure for stable supply, but some consumers express concern about potential panic buying.
A chemical tank rupture at Nippon Dynawave Packaging Co. in Longview, Washington, killed 11 people, devastating a community deeply intertwined with the lumber and paper industries, raising concerns about job security and the plant's future.
A chemical explosion at Nippon Dynawave Packaging in Longview, Washington, killed 1 person, injured 10, and left 9 missing. The blast involved a ruptured tank containing 900,000 gallons of 'white liquor', with 90,000 gallons potentially remaining, posing ongoing safety risks.
Un incidente en la fábrica Nippon Dynawave Packaging en Longview, Washington, causa al menos un muerto, nueve desaparecidos y múltiples heridos tras la ruptura de un tanque de licor blanco, un químico altamente corrosivo.
A chemical tank containing 'white liquor' imploded at a Nippon Dynawave Packaging facility in Longview, Washington, killing at least one and causing multiple critical injuries, with no immediate threat to the surrounding community.
A chemical tank implosion at a Washington pulp mill injured at least 10, with undisclosed fatalities and missing persons; recovery ongoing with no public threat.
Lam Research has opened its 'Panel Innovation Center' in Salzburg, Austria, a new research facility dedicated to advanced packaging solutions. The center aims to support the growing demand for larger and more complex semiconductor packages driven by AI and high-performance computing.
Brazil's health regulator Anvisa has ordered a voluntary recall of a specific batch (P0019875) of the hypertension medication Aldomet, manufactured by Aspen Pharma. The recall is due to a packaging error where 250 mg blisters were mistakenly placed in 500 mg cartridges, potentially leading to underdosing.
Snack giant Calbee's decision to sell popular chips in plain black and silver packaging due to ink shortages, linked to potential naphtha scarcity from the Iran war, has ignited public debate in Japan about supply chain vulnerabilities and government reassurances.
Russian Duma Vice-Speaker Boris Chernyshov has proposed mandating transparent packaging or packaging with a transparent window for bulk food products like grains, sugar, flour, and pasta. The initiative aims to increase market transparency and consumer trust by allowing visual inspection of product quality before purchase.
A rice seller in Chiba Prefecture is offering 'label-less rice' as a gift for 'furusato nozei' donations due to concerns about naphtha shortages impacting rice bag supply amid the Middle East crisis.
AMD announced an investment of over $10 billion in Taiwan to expand strategic partnerships and enhance advanced packaging capabilities for AI infrastructure. Following the announcement, shares of its named partners, ASE Technology Holding and Powertech Technology Inc., surged to their daily trading limits.
AMD announced a $10 billion+ investment in Taiwan's semiconductor and AI sector, focusing on chip production, packaging, and manufacturing technologies to enhance AI systems and support its Helios server system.
A study by Beyond Plastics tracked 53 Starbucks plastic cups labeled as 'widely recyclable' and found none reached a recycling facility, instead ending up in landfills, incinerators, or transfer stations.
