Three of the components used in the process of fabrication of the boxes were banned by the FDA.
(Mirror Daily, United States) –Starting the fourth of this month, 3 materials used for pizza boxes and popcorn bags were banned by the FDA. This happened after a study concluded that the 3 materials may have a role in the occurrence of cancer and children born with defects.
In order to obtain this decision from the FDA, several groups have joined forces and fought for the elimination of the dangerous substances. The Defense Council for Natural Resources, the Food Safety Center, the Fund for Breast Cancer, the Action for Clean Water, the Environmental Health Center, the Environment for Improving Kids, the Science Center for Public Interest, the Group for Environmental Working and the Environmental Network for Children’s Health.
These 9 groups have petitioned and fought until the materials used for pizza boxes and popcorn bags were banned by the FDA. The three materials that were deemed to set up cancer and birth defects are a part of the FCS category (substances that come in contact with food) of perfluoroalkyl ethyl (a substance which allows grease or water impermeability).
This does not mean that pizza will no longer be delivered in boxes or that people will not be able to make microwave popcorn anymore. The companies that produced the packaging have already received a list that contains a total of 20 new composites that can be used instead of the banned ones. The new materials proposed are tested and approved by the FDA.
The director of the Defense Council for National Resources, Erik Olsen, has declared that this is but a battle that has been won by the people who care about the food given to our children. Olsen states that the NRDC has an additional list of other 7 chemicals that should be further investigated. He says that the above-mentioned chemicals have been proven to cause cancer by the toxicology program from the Health National Institute.
It comes as a good news that some materials used for pizza boxes and popcorn bags were banned by the FDA. It means that people still care not only about the food that is served to us, but also everything that comes in contact with it, and may even prove to be a source of contamination.
In a world of massive factory pollution, the last things that should concern the general audience are pizza boxes and microwave popcorn wrapping.
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