packaging

Plastic Eating Fungus | Earth Wise

May 26, 2023 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

More than five billion tons of plastic have accumulated on land and sea including the most remote regions of the planet as well as in the bodies of animals and humans. There is a compelling need to recycle as much plastic as possible but doing so is a major challenge. Plastic comes in many varieties and breaking it down for reuse requires different methods for each.

Polypropylene is one of the biggest challenges for recycling. It is a very common plastic used for all sorts of products including food containers, coat hangers, plastic wrap, toys, and much more. It accounts for roughly 28% of the world’s plastic waste, but only 1% of it is recycled.

Polypropylene is seldom recycled because it generally has a short life as a packaging material, and it often becomes contaminated by other materials and plastics. Thus, it generally ends up in landfills.

Researchers at the University of Sydney in Australia have discovered that two common strains of fungi were able to successfully biodegrade polypropylene. The fungi species – with unavoidable Latin names of Aspergillus terreus and Engyodontium album – are typically found in soil and plants.

The researchers found that the fungi were able to break down polypropylene after it had been pre-treated with either UV light or heat, by 21% over 30 days, and by 25-27% over 90 days. This seems rather slow but compared with the nearly endless life of polypropylene in landfills, it is a major improvement.

The hope is that methods like this could ultimately reduce the amount of plastic polluting the environment by encouraging plastic to biodegrade naturally under the appropriate conditions.

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Fungi makes meal of hard to recycle plastic

Photo, posted March 5, 2010, courtesy of Kevin Krejci via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio

Cleaning Up Forever Chemicals | Earth Wise

August 29, 2022 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

PFAS, per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances, are chemical pollutants that threaten human health and ecosystem sustainability. They are used in a wide range of applications including food wrappers and packaging, dental floss, firefighting foam, nonstick cookware, textiles, and electronics. Over decades, these manufactured chemicals have leached into our soil, air, and water. Chemical bonds in PFAS molecules are some of the strongest known, so the substances do not degrade easily in the environment.

Studies have shown that at certain levels, PFAS chemicals can be harmful to humans and wildlife and have been associated with a wide variety of health problems.

Currently, the primary way to dispose of PFAS chemicals is to burn them, which is an expensive multistep process. Even trace levels are toxic, so when they occur in water in low amounts, they need to be concentrated in order to be destroyed.

Researchers at Texas A&M University have developed a novel bioremediation technology for cleaning up PFAS. It uses a plant-derived material to absorb the PFAS which is then eliminated by microbial fungi that literally eat the forever chemicals.

The sustainable plant material serves as a framework to adsorb the PFAS. That material containing the adsorbed PFAS serves as food for the fungus. Once the fungus has eaten it, the PFAS is gone.

The EPA has established a nationwide program to monitor the occurrence and levels of PFAS in public water systems and is considering adding PFAS threshold levels to drinking water standards. If this happens, the technology developed at Texas A&M may become an essential part of municipal water systems.

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Texas A&M AgriLife develops new bioremediation material to clean up ‘forever chemicals’

Photo, posted August 10, 2013, courtesy of Mike Mozart via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Who Can Solve The Plastic Waste Problem? | Earth Wise

June 21, 2022 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Plastic packaging waste is a global problem. It collects in the oceans, breaks down into microplastics, which are consumed by fish and in turn by people who eat the fish. Only 14.5% of U.S. plastic waste is recycled. Most of it ends up in landfills, where is remains undegraded for hundreds of years.

A new international study explored the global patterns of plastic packaging waste. The study found that three countries – the U.S., Brazil, and China – are the top suppliers of waste. In terms of supply, the Americas generate 41% of the world’s production of plastic waste, Europe 24%, and Asia 21%.

That’s the plastics supply. As far as the consumers actually creating waste are concerned, the Americas represent 36% of the world’s packaging consumption, Asia 26%, and Europe 23%.

Packaging high-protein food such as meat, fish, and dairy is a major contributor to the waste problem. Plastic for this purpose is hard to replace and international exports exacerbate the problem, accounting for about 25% of plastic packaging waste.

International agreements typically focus on restrictions and fees on production. But that mostly creates strong incentives to simply relocate polluting activities to developing countries, which is a zero-sum game. There need to be incentives for consumers to reduce plastic use such as taxes on waste management, refunds on returning bottles, single-use plastic bans, and so on.

Who can solve the plastic waste problem? Everyone along the supply chain as well as the final consumers have to be part of the solution for reducing plastic waste.

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Producers and consumers must share burden of global plastic packaging waste

Photo, posted March 29, 2022, courtesy of Ivan Radic via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Phasing Out Disposables | Earth Wise

May 5, 2022 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Humans generate a remarkable amount of garbage. According to the World Bank, humans produce 4.5 trillion pounds of trash every year, with at least 33% of this garbage not managed in an environmentally-safe manner. By 2050, global garbage generation is expected to reach nearly 7.5 trillion pounds a year.

Globally, an average of 1.6 lbs of waste is generated per person per day. While high-income countries only account for 16% of the global population, they are responsible for about 34% of the world’s waste.

But almost everything humans throw away was bought from a company. Whether it was the packaging or the product itself, we purchased it from somewhere. There’s a growing movement to hold the companies responsible for the trash they produce.

Faced with increasing consumer consciousness, many companies are stepping up and announcing initiatives to reduce their waste. Starbucks is one of them. The company’s white logo-emblazoned paper cups and clear plastic cups are instantly recognizable symbols of the brand. But these ubiquitous cups are disposable and also serve as a symbol of our throwaway society.

By the end of next year, Starbucks is planning to allow customers to use their own personal mugs at every location in the U.S. and Canada. By 2025, the company wants every customer to be able to use either their own mug or to borrow a ceramic or reusable to-go mug. This borrow-a-mug program is currently being tested in eight different markets around the globe.

In lieu of regulation mandating corporate responsibility for waste, we will have to hope that more companies do the right thing.

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Starbucks is planning to phase out its iconic cups

Photo, posted June 11, 2010, courtesy of Sunghwan Yoon via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Getting Rid Of Single-Use Plastics | Earth Wise

April 15, 2022 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Single-use plastics are used only once before they are recycled – or more likely – simply thrown away. These are things like plastic bags, straws, coffee stirrers, soda and water bottles, and most food packaging. They are primarily made from fossil fuel-based chemicals.

Since the 1950s, over 9 billion tons of plastics have been produced, and half of that has been in the past 15 years. There are uses for plastic that are not only reasonable, but are even important, such as for surgical gloves. But for the most part, single-use plastic is the poster child of our throwaway culture that is bad for the environment, for wildlife, and even for human health.

Many cities, states, and even countries are moving toward greatly limiting or outright banning single-use plastics. A recent global survey indicates that the great majority of people around the world are with the program.

According to a 28-country survey from marketing firm Ipsos and the activist group Plastic Free July, three out of four people around the world agree with a ban on single-use plastics. The poll of more than 20,000 people showed that in Latin America, China, and India, more than 80% agree that a ban should happen as soon as possible. Unfortunately, Canada, the United States, and Japan were the least supportive countries. In particular, only 40% of Japanese respondents favored a ban.

Ninety percent of respondents globally support an international treaty to combat plastic pollution and eighty percent said they personally want to buy products with as little plastic packaging as possible. Unfortunately, people in wealthy countries, which produce the most plastic waste, are less likely to support a ban. Those countries typically export their waste to the developing world.

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Three in Four People Worldwide Support a Ban on Single-Use Plastics

Photo, posted April 13, 2006, courtesy of Leonard J Matthews via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Regulating Plastic Pollution | Earth Wise

August 11, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Much of the world is united in the desire to do something about the problem of plastic waste. But putting in place regulations that transcend national borders is complicated.

One hundred fifteen countries have established bans on plastic bags, but globally, there are seven different definitions of what is considered a plastic bag. Things like bag thickness can determine whether something even counts as a plastic bag. These differences create loopholes that enable illegal bags to be used. For a global company like Nestle, which sells food products in 187 countries, it means complying with 187 different sets of national regulations on plastic packaging.

At least 100 nations have expressed support for a global plastic treaty. Preliminary talks are dealing with issues like setting a specific date to eliminate plastic from spilling into the ocean, creating a harmonized set of definitions and standards, coordination of national targets and plans, and creating a fund to build waste management facilities where they are most needed in less developed countries.

New plastic waste is created at a rate of over 300 million tons a year. To date, 75% of all plastic ever produced has become waste, and plastic production is expected to triple by 2050.

With public concern about plastic waste growing and increasing support by countries around the world, there is growing optimism that a global treaty to address plastic waste could be approved on a pace that could make a difference. Negotiations for international treaties can drag on for a decade or more. There is not that kind of time to spare in this case, so perhaps urgency will drive more efficient action.

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Global treaty to regulate plastic pollution gains momentum

Photo, posted February 3, 2015, courtesy of Thad Zajdowicz via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Takeout Food And Ocean Litter | Earth Wise

August 5, 2021 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

The Covid-19 pandemic saw most of us making use of take-out or delivery services as our only access to restaurant food. It was a valuable link to normal life. But unfortunately, the packaging of takeout food is a major contributor to the global plastic waste problem that isn’t going to disappear just because people are returning to eating in restaurants.

A new analysis of more than 12 million items by UK researchers published in the journal Nature Sustainability has found that the majority of ocean litter collected around the world is in the form of takeout food items: bags, wrappers, containers, straws and cutlery, aluminum cans, and plastic and glass bottles. Eighty percent of all the items surveyed were made of plastic.

Wrappers and packaging tended to concentrate along coasts, gathering on the shore and the sea floor. Takeout trash was rarer in the open ocean. In those areas, fishing debris accounted for half of the litter.

The authors of the study argue that efforts to curb plastic waste should prioritize takeout food and beverage containers. They recommend that avoidable takeout items, like single-use plastic bags, should be replaced with non-plastic and biodegradable materials. The authors also recommended making plastic producers responsible for the collection and disposal of plastic products.

As of July 1, the European Union has banned the 10 most common plastic and Stryofoam products found on European beaches. The EU is also establishing an active European market for recycled plastics based on the principles of extended producer responsibility.

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Takeout Food and Drink Containers Account for Bulk of Ocean Litter

Photo, posted September 14, 2009, courtesy of Susan White/USFWS via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Aluminum And Deodorants | Earth Wise

October 2, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Aluminum is the third most common element in the earth’s crust. That element and its compounds are contained in numerous foods and products intended for consumers. Aluminum can occur naturally in certain foods and it can be a part of food additives. Apart from that, it is also possible for aluminum to transfer to food from packaging and tableware. We also can take in aluminum from cosmetic products like whitening toothpaste, lipsticks, particles in sunscreens, and in the form of aluminum chlorohydrate in antiperspirants.

The concern about aluminum intake is related to its effects on the nervous system, on the mental and motor development of children, and upon possible negative effects on the kidneys and bones. When aluminum is ingested via food, its toxicity is low and for healthy people, the kidneys do a good job of excreting it. However, people with chronic kidney disease may not be able to get rid of aluminum as readily and it can accumulate in the body.

Six years ago, a study looked at the amount of aluminum absorbed through the skin from the use of antiperspirants, but the data at that time was considered to be unreliable and a need for further research was identified.

Recently, the results of two new studies have been published by a German research institute that quantifies the absorption of aluminum salts through the skin. The results were that significantly less aluminum is absorbed through the skin than previously calculated and that a significant absorption of aluminum from antiperspirants is unlikely.

The total burden of aluminum from all sources can be high among some population groups, but it appears that use of aluminum-containing antiperspirants is not an important contribution to that burden.

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Aluminium in antiperspirants: Low contribution to the total intake of aluminium in humans

Photo courtesy of NutritionFacts.org.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Finding Plastic In Seafood | Earth Wise

September 15, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Researchers from the University of Exeter in the UK and the University of Queensland in Australia have developed a new method for identifying and measuring the presence of five different types of plastic in seafood.

The researchers purchased oysters, prawns, squid, crabs, and sardines from a market in Australia and analyzed them using the new technique. They found plastic in every single sample.

Their findings showed that the amount of plastics present varies greatly among species and differs between individuals of the same species. The measured plastic levels were 0.04 mg per gram of seafood in squid, 0.07 mg in prawns, 0.1 mg in oysters, 0.3 mg in crabs, and 2.9 mg in sardines.

All the plastics are types commonly used in plastic packaging and synthetic textiles and are increasingly found in marine litter: polystyrene, polyethylene, polyvinyl chloride, polypropylene, and polymethyl methacrylate.

The new method treats the seafood tissues with chemicals that dissolve the plastics present within them. The resulting solution is then analyzed using a highly sensitive technique called Pyrolysis Gas Chromatography Mass Spectrometry which both identifies and quantifies the plastics.

Microplastics are an increasing source of pollution for much of the planet, including the oceans where they are eaten by all types of marine creatures ranging from planktonic organisms to large mammals. Microplastics enter our diet not only from seafood, but also from bottled water, sea salt, beer, and honey, as well as from dust that settles on our food.

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Seafood study finds plastic in all samples

Photo, posted June 23, 2007, courtesy of Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Online Shopping And Greenhouse Gas Emissions | Earth Wise

April 3, 2020 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

These days, consumers have multiple choices for how to shop for even the most mundane products. There are both traditional and online ways to buy most so-called fast-moving consumer goods, such as cleaning supplies and packaged foods. Price, quality, convenience, and time-frame guide our choices.

In the past, these things were always purchased by going to “Bricks & Mortar”, that is, physical retail stores. But now, we can order them from physical stores and have them delivered directly by the store – which is known as “Bricks & Clicks” – or we can order them online from an e-tailer and have them delivered by a parcel delivery company or the post office, so-called “Pure Play” online purchasing..

The carbon footprint of these three approaches depends on multiple factors according to a new study published in Environmental Science and Technology. The study looked at the impact of transport, warehouse storage, delivery, and packaging.

Overall, the greenhouse gas footprints per item purchased at Bricks & Mortar were higher than those of Bricks & Clicks but lower than that of Pure Players. But the results were highly dependent upon how many items were actually being purchased, and where the consumers lived. The type of items also mattered. For example, clothing purchased from a pure-play online source is much more likely to be returned than if purchased in a store.

Bricks & Mortar shoppers could reduce their footprint by 40% by walking or biking to stores, and Pure Players could cut emissions by 26% by switching to electric vehicles for the delivery of products from parcel distribution centers to consumers’ homes.

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Comparing greenhouse gas footprints of online versus traditional shopping

Photo, posted July 15, 2017, courtesy of Elaine Smith via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Packing With Banana Leaves

July 25, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

More and more places are instituting bans on single-use plastic bags. Places like California and Hawaii already have bans in place and New Jersey is considering such a ban. New York’s law will go into effect next March. Supermarkets will no longer provide plastic bags at the checkout line. But the laws have some exceptions, including the plastic bags used to hold produce and to pack up meats.

Banning or reducing single-use plastic bags is a growing trend in Asia as well including places like South Korea, Vietnam and Thailand.

One supermarket in Thailand came up with a novel approach to eco-friendly packaging: wrapping produce in banana leaves. The idea quickly became a viral hit on social media and drew the attention of supermarkets in Vietnam. Several big supermarket chains in that country also began experimenting with banana leaves as a packaging alternative.

Representatives of Vietnam’s Lotte Mart chain said that the banana leaf packaging was still in the testing phase, but they plan to replace plastic with leaves nationwide very soon. Aside from wrapping vegetables and fruits, the grocery chain intends to also use the leaves for fresh meat products.

Customers seem to be quite positive about the new packaging noting that it is actually quite attractive visually. The banana leaf packaging also makes people more aware of the need for protecting the environment.

While Vietnam is a relatively small country, it turns out that it ranks number four in the world for the largest amount of plastic waste dumped into the ocean. The country disposes of about 2,500 tons of plastic waste per day. So, efforts like the banana leaf packaging are not just symbolically important, they are genuinely a major environmental imperative.

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Supermarkets in Asia are Now Using Banana Leaves Instead of Plastic Packaging

Photo courtesy of Perfect Homes Chiangmai via Facebook.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Meal Kits And The Environment

June 11, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

Meal kit services have become extremely popular in recent years. These are companies that deliver a box of pre-portioned ingredients and a chef-created recipe to your door to make home-cooked meals easy and practical for busy people. Leading companies like Blue Apron, HelloFresh, and Plated have been joined by dozens of others competing in the meal kit market. As of last year, annual sales for these things were over $3 billion and growing at more than a 20% annual rate.

A major rap against meal kits has been their environmental impact, mostly centered around the amount of packaging waste they generate. While there is most certainly lots of packaging waste associated with meal kits, it turns out that their overall carbon footprint is actually rather good compared with conventional ways to make homecooked meals.

A study from the University of Michigan looked at the cradle-to-grave impact of meal kits, taking into account every major step in the lifetime of the food ingredients and the packaging – agricultural production, packaging production, distribution, supply chain losses, consumption, and waste generation.

Surprisingly, meal kits have a much lower overall carbon footprint than the same meals made from ingredients purchased at the grocery store – even including their packaging. The main reason is that pre-portioned ingredients and a streamlined supply chain lower overall food losses and waste for meal kits compared to store-bought meals. Pre-portioning simply results in fewer ingredients that end up being wasted. Meal kits also have radically different supply chain structures than foods sold in supermarkets.

Whether the economics and culinary aspects of meals kits are advantageous for many people is an open question, but apparently from an environmental perspective, they are just fine.

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Climate change has worsened global economic inequality

Photo, posted June 11, 2018, courtesy of Marco Verch via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Edible Six-Pack Rings

June 4, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

There has much talk about plastic straws and their harmful effects on the environment. But much like the straws, plastic six-pack rings are also enemies of the ocean. While straws and six-pack rings account for only a tiny fraction of all the plastic trash in the ocean, images of marine animals tangled up in the rings have sparked public backlash against these common items. The soft but tough plastic rings are transparent which means that in the water animals don’t even see them. They end up tangled in the loops, which can cut into their skin and constrict parts of their bodies, leading to serious injury or death. Birds, turtles, and otters are among the frequent victims of six-pack rings.

Plastic straws have readily available alternatives such as paper straws and reusable straws. But the plastic rings that have been available for more than 40 years are not as easy to replace. By law, six-pack rings are photo-degradable, so they do gradually disintegrate when exposed to direct sunlight. But even then, they remain quite dangerous at least for a while.

The Saltwater Brewery in Delray Beach, Florida, recently has released edible six-pack rings, representing a brand-new approach to sustainable beer packaging. The rings are 100% biodegradable and edible. They are actually made from barley and wheat ribbons from the brewing process. This packaging can be safely eaten by animals that may come into contact with them in the wild.

Producing the edible rings represents a big investment for a small brewery but the company hopes to influence larger brewers and inspire them to get on board with the safer packaging.

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Saltwater Brewery Creates Edible Six-Pack Rings

Photo courtesy of Saltwater Brewery.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

Supermarkets And Zero-Waste

May 6, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

There are about 38,000 supermarkets in the United States alone and they are responsible for vast quantities of waste in the form of single-use plastic bags, plastic containers that store food products, and food waste as well. Globally, over 80% of poll respondents feel strongly that companies should help improve the environment. Responding to this message, markets are starting to make changes.

In a number of places, there are now markets that are package-free. The Nada grocery store in Vancouver and Precycle in Brooklyn are examples of zero waste grocery stores. Websites like Litterless provide online help for customers trying to find packaging-free grocery stores.

Markets are not only changing their packaging, they are using artificial intelligence to develop more sustainable production processes and seeking other ways to reduce waste.

On average, Americans throw away over 300 plastic bags a year, but an increasing number of grocery retailers are making commitments to more sustainable, plastic-free options. It isn’t just small stores either. Grocery giant Kroger plans to eliminate plastic bags in its stores by 2025. When that happens, it means that 6 billion plastic bags will no longer be distributed. Big Y stores will fully transition to reusable bags by next year. More and more cities and states are banning or imposing fees on plastic bags.

An interesting statistic shows that the age group of Americans that is leading the adoption of reusable grocery bags is not millennials but in fact is people over 50. With multiple generations now indicating that they want shopping to be more sustainable, it is likely that supermarkets will strive to help make that happen.

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Why More Supermarkets Are Committing to Zero-Waste

Photo, posted March 4, 2013, courtesy of Dean Hochman via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

New Nutrition Labels

February 26, 2019 By EarthWise 1 Comment

Food and beverage packaging in this country has included a Nutrition Facts panel for nearly 25 years. Over 700,000 products have the labels which provide consumers with information like serving sizes, calories per serving, ingredients, and nutritional content.

Surveys indicate that 77 percent of all U.S. adults claim to use the labels at least some of the time. Whether the labels are actually useful is somewhat debatable. A couple of years ago, the FDA released a proposal to update the labels to make them more useful and to reflect more recent nutritional research. The new labels are finally going to be implemented and food manufacturers with annual sales exceeding $10 million have until January of 2020 to update their packaging with the new labels.

One of the biggest changes is that the “serving size” section of the label will be changed to more accurately reflect the actual portions consumed by the typical American. For example, a 20-ounce soft drink will now be labeled as a single serving because most people will drink the whole bottle in one sitting.

The new labels will no long list the amounts of Vitamin A and C, because recent research shows most Americans are not deficient in these nutrients. Instead, the amount of Vitamin D and potassium will be listed, two nutrients lacking in many diets. New labels will also show amounts of “added sugars”, defined as caloric sweeteners with no nutritional value. The new labels will also display the calories per serving in much large type making that piece of information far more noticeable.

There is surely more to be done to make food labeling more transparent and useful for consumers, but the new changes at least seem to be in the right direction.

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Nutrition Labels Get a Makeover: Will It Make a Difference?

Photo, posted September 9, 2014, courtesy of Mike Mozart via Flickr.

Earth Wise is a production of WAMC Northeast Public Radio.

The Labeling Of GMO Foods

February 12, 2019 By EarthWise Leave a Comment

American consumers will soon be able to discern whether or not foods contain genetically-modified ingredients. The USDA’s so-called ‘National Bioengineered Food Disclosure Standard’ will be required for foods that have been altered in a way that doesn’t occur naturally. The mandatory compliance date is January 1st, 2022.

While this does sound like great news, there are some major drawbacks. The new guidelines use the uncommon term “bioengineered” instead of “genetically-modified” or “GMO.” The guidelines also allow the disclosure of bioengineered (or B.E.) ingredients in several formats: as text, a symbol, a phone number (that consumers can call for more info), or a digital link printed on the packaging. Companies are allowed to use a QR code that asks consumers to “scan here for more food information.” Scanning the QR code will bring consumers to a website where the GMO disclosure can be found.

Advocates of the various labeling options say it’ll make it easier and faster for companies to comply with the new guidelines. But critics worry consumers will find it confusing and restrict access for those without smartphones. They say that companies who elect to use a QR code or phone number should be required to include the word “bioengineered” on their packaging.

Another drawback is that products won’t have to be labeled as ‘bioengineered’ if they’ve been processed to the point where their bioengineered DNA can’t be detected. Examples include refined beet sugar, soybean oil, and high fructose corn syrup.

The fight over the labeling of GMO foods has raged for many years. But this labeling mandate falls short of consumer expectations by hiding the information about GMOs instead of disclosing it. We should expect better.

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