Study reveals toxic metals in US packaging

The quality of packaging materials in the US faces a major threat from imports, according to a new study.

The 'Toxics in Packaging Clearinghouse' assessment of heavy metals in packaging found that 16% of the products tested breached legal toxicity limits, with many of the offending products being of Asian origin.

PVC packaging was found to be the worst compliant, with 61% of products failing to meet requirements.

Inks and colourants used in plastic bags, particularly solvent-based inks, were also highlighted as cause for concern.

Nineteen US states have legislation that prohibits the sale of packaging that intentionally contains cadmium, lead, mercury or hexavalent chromium, and imposes strict limits on the concentration levels.

The US government-sponsored study used an X-ray fluorescence analyser to examine a variety of packaging materials for different product types.

Click here for more information about the study.
Source: packagingnews