Environmental lawyers ask for better protection from harmful chemicals in food packaging

European Union law today is insufficient to prevent the damage to our health and the environment that exposure to chemicals, and specifically endocrine disrupting chemicals (EDCs), can cause. Everyday items such as food packaging may contain such chemicals which can leach into food and have harmful consequences on people’s health.

Speaking at the European Parliament, in a conference organised by the NGO Safe, ClientEarth chemicals lawyer Alice Bernard said:

“While many consumers purchase organic food to avoid eating food contaminated with pesticides, they may end up also with dangerous chemicals in their food due to the packaging.

“Instead of authorising a certain limit of endocrine disrupting chemicals in food contact materials, as is now the case, the presence of EDCs should not be allowed at all.“

Endocrine disruptors are chemicals that mimic, block, or interfere with the hormones of humans or animals disrupting the proper functioning of the hormonal system. They have been associated with a wide range of health issues including cancer, infertility as well as diabetes, neurodevelopment problems, adverse effect on the immune system and many others.

ClientEarth joins EDC-Free Europe in calling for action against hormone disrupting chemicals