Home » sustainability » Page 2

Tag: sustainability

How the EU regulatory context of the food contact materials and articles may change on our way to a toxic free environment − Over 44 years old EU rules under re-evaluation

How the EU regulatory context of the food contact materials and articles may change on our way to a toxic free environment − Over 44 years old EU rules under re-evaluation

The European Green Deal, Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and Farm to Fork Strategy set the frame

European Union’s Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) from October 2020 paves our path towards a toxic free environment. This is one of the goals, the European Green Deal growth strategy sets to tackle pollution and climate change. The ambition of the Green Deal is that the European Union (EU) will become a sustainable climate neutral and circular economy by 2050. As the CSS, also the European Commission’s Farm to Fork (F2F) Strategy from May 2020 is a part of the Green Deal aiming at a fair, healthy and environmentally friendly food system. Food Contact Materials (FCMs) are specifically mentioned in both strategies. The CSS focuses to protect the public health with the goal that the consumer products, including food contact materials, do not contain the most harmful chemicals. European Commission (EC) commits itself through the F2F Strategy to improve food safety and public health by revising the current FCM legislation. The main targets are at reducing the use of hazardous chemicals, supporting the use of innovative and sustainable packaging solutions of environmentally friendly, re-usable and recyclable materials, and contributing to food waste reduction. For example, single-use food packaging and cutlery should be replaced by re-usable products.

This blog intends to give you an overview of the main changes which the CSS and F2F Strategy may bring to the upcoming EU FCM regulations. Before giving the overview on the possible future FCM rules, the current EU regulatory framework of the FCMs and articles are described and discussed.

What are Food Contact Materials (FCMs) and articles?

Food Contact Materials (FCMs) are any materials which

i) are already in contact with food, such as milk cartons, yoghurt tubs, lemonade bottles, chocolate wrapping papers and sausage casings,

ii) are intended to be brought into contact with food, such as tableware, cooking utensils and food processing equipment, or

iii) can reasonably be brought into contact with food or transfer their constituents to the food under normal or foreseeable use, such as serviettes, paper napkins or tablecloths (case-by-case basis).

The FCMs and articles must be safe – both EU and national regulations apply

The FCMs should be sufficiently inert, so that their chemical constituents do not adversely affect consumer health and the quality of the food. The safety of the FCMs must be assessed because their constituents can migrate into food. In the EU, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) evaluates the safety of the FCMs based on the applications submitted by the applicants. Following the favourable outcome of the EFSA assessment, the EC authorises the use of the FCMs. Only authorised FCMs are allowed to be used in the EU. However, in practise this concerns mainly plastics as EFSA does not normally evaluate non-plastic based FCMs. Nor the non-plastic based FCMs undergo the EU-authorisation process and the national statutory rules and procedures apply.

Currently the EU-wide harmonised FCM-legislation includes: The Framework FCM, Good Manufacturing Practise (GMP), some material specific (e.g. plastics, active and intelligent FCMs and ceramics), and some substance specific (e.g. bisphenol-A) regulations. For many different material types of the FCMs, such as paper, wood, printing inks, metals and glass, the national regulatory measures are applied, and no EU-wide harmonised legislation exists. The most commonly used of the latter ones are the German, French and Swiss national recommendations and regulations. Typically, national positive lists of the permitted chemical substances have been established by the different EU Member States (MSs). Recently, Germany updated its BfR-recommendations on FCMs and also indicated to set safety levels for mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in recycled food contact paper and cardboard. Where the national legislation applies, the principle on mutual recognition is used to bring the FCM or article approved by one EU MS for its national markets to the territories of the other EU MSs. Specifically in these situations, the National Food Safety Authorities can give useful advice on the national statutory requirements.

Nonetheless, whether the specific material-related legislation exists or not, the EU’s FCM legislation requires that any material and article must be manufactured in compliance with the good manufacturing practices (GMP, Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006) and the Framework FCM Regulation ((EC) No 1935/2004) in a manner that any potential transfer of a chemical constituent to food does not

i) endanger human health,

ii) change the composition of the food in an unacceptable way, or

iii) deteriorate the taste and/or odour of the food.

Furthermore, the EU-legislation stipulates that the labelling, advertising and presentation of a material or article shall not mislead the consumers. These two pieces of legislation cover all types of food contact materials and articles regardless of whether the FCM or article is directly or indirectly in contact with food.

Is my FCM active material?

Figure 1 depicts how the FCMs (substances and articles) are situated in the EU-regulatory context, and which regulatory actors are involved. Naturally, the FCMs and articles have a direct link to food regulations (e.g., food additives, food flavourings and food contaminants). But the FCMs and articles are also covered by other food regulations, such as official food control enforced by the EU MSs to control the traceability of the FCMs and their safety, or the recent transparency regulation when seeking for the EU-authorisations for the FCMs (Figure 1). Food additives and flavourings incorporated into the FCMs, and articles must not be released and cause technical effects in or on the food. If they do so, the FCM or article is considered as an active FCM or article because it is non-inert. Only food additives and food flavourings authorised in the EU can be used in the active FCMs and articles. The active contact materials should extend the shelf-life of the packaged food by maintaining or improving its condition, by releasing substances to or absorbing substances from the food or its surrounding environment.

FCMs under the REACH, CLP and BPR Regulations

In addition to the food law, the important EU chemicals regulations, REACH and CLP, apply to the FCMs. European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) is the body who implements the chemicals legislation in the EU (Figure 1). The REACH registration, restriction, and authorisation obligations as well as the CLP-provisions are also required to be followed for the substances and mixtures used to manufacture the FCMs. If the substances of very high concern (SVHCs) on the RECAH Candidate List are present at concentrations greater than 0.1% w/w, a SCIP-notification under Waste Framework Directive (WFD) applies for the food contact articles, too. Biocidal Products Regulation (BPR) can apply in cases where biocides are incorporated into the FCMs and articles (Figure 1). As other chemical constituents, the biocides must not be released from the FCMs and articles at levels negatively impacting the human health and the food quality.

Migration of the chemical FCM-constituents must be known

The safety of the FCMs and articles must be guaranteed by the business operator (in practice typically a manufacturer), and migration of the chemical FCM-constituents (also non-intentionally added substances, e.g., impurities and reaction products) to food has to be determined either by mathematical calculations, modelling or migration testing. Many research institutes and laboratories specialised to these tests, modelling and calculations provide commercial services to the FCM-business in Europe. Based on the generated results, they also issue certificates for the compliance of the material with the FCM-legislation in the EU and internationally. The certificates are requested by the customers of the FCMs as well as local food inspectors. Dietary risk assessment of the migrating substances from the FCMs and articles to food should also be conducted by the manufacturers where the guidelines, recommendations and regulations stipulating the safe levels are absent.

Figure 1: FCEM context

Figure 1: Food Contact Materials (FCMs) and articles in their regulatory context in the European Union.

Single-use plastics and other regulatory developments

It is also good to bear in mind the other regulatory developments in the EU and worldwide, such as single-use plastics, under which many food contact articles fall, and the packaging waste which also regulates food contact materials and articles. Recycling has an important role in both statutory acts. It is worth noting that the food contact materials and articles made partly or fully from the recycled plastics can only be from those recycling processes which have been authorised in the EU following the EFSA risk assessment. It is foreseen that the new the FCM-legislation will be extended to include the re-use of all types of FCMs and recycling.

From this July onwards, the EU MSs must ensure that certain single-use plastic products are no longer placed on the EU market. In May 2021, the EC published guidelines on the application of the single-use-plastic rules; for example, single-use biodegradable/ bio-based plastic products and paper-based products with plastic lining or coating fall under the single-use plastic definition. Overall, it is good to realise when considering the use of plastics, that also the global multinational food companies have large programmes to reduce the use of virgin plastics and enhancing their recycling. It is clear that the use of plastics will decline in the future, even though it is very vital packing material to keep our food safe in the increasingly complex global food and drink markets.

Ongoing reassessment of the EU FCM legislation – how it may change?

Since the establishment of the basic EU FCM legislation over 44 years ago, it has never been re-evaluated until now. This process started in 2017 and has revealed some concerns owing to the absence of the harmonised EU-level regulations for many other FCMs other than plastics. Several key problems have been identified, such as lack of focus on the final materials and articles while the current approach bases on positive lists, lack of prioritisation for the most hazardous substances and lack of encouragement to develop safer and sustainable alternatives. Since the inception of the re-evaluation, the strategies on the chemicals (i.e., CSS) and farm to fork (i.e. F2F) were published as noted in the introduction. The most relevant possible regulatory changes to take place for the FCMs and articles in the EU are summarised in Table 1. The Table also indicates whether this change is origin from the CSS.

A shift from specific substances to final materials

A shift from the focus on the safety of the chemical substances to the full characteristics of all final materials and articles is expected to be included in the revisited FCM-legislation. In this context the GMP rules will be strengthened, too. It is also considered to reduce the complexity of the packaging materials, including the number of materials and polymers used today.

The CSS outlines a banning of the most harmful chemicals in consumer products including FCMs

The CSS outlines that the most harmful chemicals are to be banned and thus phased out in consumer products for non-essential uses. The most harmful chemicals will only be allowed in the consumer products if their use is essential for the society and no alternatives are available. The CSS lists that the FCMs and articles are among the consumer products which will be ensured to be free from substances causing cancers or mutations, affecting reproductive and endocrine systems, or being persistent and bioaccumulative by applying generic risk management. The CSS further outlines that this approach could be extended to the chemicals exerting other types of adverse effects later-on. How the “essentiality for the society” regarding the use of harmful chemicals in the FCMs will be considered in the future is to be seen. The question arises though, are the FCMs and articles considered essential for the society?

All substances, including non-intentionally added substances, and mixtures that may pose a health risk to consumers are envisaged to be considered in the new FCM legislation. Tiered approach to prioritise the assessment of these substances will be used. The most harmful chemicals (carcinogenic, mutagenic and reprotoxic substances (CMRs), endocrine disruptors (EDs), persistent, bioaccumulative and toxic substances (PBT and vPvBs) are in the first tier, and the other specific substances (e.g., nano-forms) are in the second tier. The official EU risk assessment bodies ECHA and EFSA are to conduct the assessments for these substances, while the third-tier substances can be self-assessed by the business operator. The latter ones are the least of concern and those which migrate at low levels. A generic approach based on the hazardous properties (e.g., carcinogenicity) will be used to prioritise the substances, with certain defined exceptions. These exceptions may include the FCMs if considered essential.

Chemicals to be assessed as groups

The CSS also describes that grouping of chemicals with similar properties (hazard, structure, risk and/or function) will be used to assess the substances instead of regulating them one-by-one. This could mean for example that a group of chemicals with similar hazardous properties are banned or restricted in one go. This will impact also the chemicals used to manufacture the FCMs. The SCC emphasises the phase out of PFAS as a group, this includes their use also in the FCMs (unless essential for society). Some RECAH restriction intentions already exist for PFAS. Netherlands, Denmark, Germany, Norway, and Sweden are working on a proposal for a European-level ban of PFAS. Recently, at the national level Denmark banned the use of PFAS-substances in food contact paper and cardboard, and articles thereof.  Bisphenol A and its structurally related analogues as well as phthalates could also be such groups to be restricted or banned in the near future.

The ban of endocrine disruptors in consumer products is specifically highlighted in the CSS and it is likely that none of them are allowed to be used in the FCMs in the future. The CSS details that criteria to identify endocrine disruptors need to be included also in the FCM legislation. The criteria have already been defined for the biocides and plant protection products regulations. The upcoming RECAH and CLP revisions both foresee the introduction of endocrine disruptors in them. Endocrine disrupting substances are of high concern also at the national level in Europe. For example, the French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES) has identified 16 priority substances to be assessed urgently for their endocrine disrupting properties.

One-substance-one-assessment for FCMs jointly done by ECHA and EFSA

The CSS also sets out a principle of one-substance-one-assessment. For the FCMs this means that EFSA and ECHA will assess the FCM-substances and mixtures in a close cooperation. The FCMs are the first common regulatory area of EFSA and ECHA where one-substance-one assessment is applied. Interesting is to see how this will work out in practice as generally EFSA bases its assessments on risks, while ECHA bases its assessments on hazards. Could there be of a concern that restricting or banning of substances, or a group of substances based on hazards assessed by ECHA occurs far before than any FCM-application has been submitted to EFSA for the assessments of the dietary risks? It needs to be kept in mind that the REACH obligations for substances and mixtures are to be obeyed prior to the manufacturing of the FCMs can start and any FCM-application is submitted to EFSA. Therefore, it might be that the RECAH-level identification of the substances and mixtures of concern will become more influential in the future than the EFSA-level dietary risk assessment in the future. It could be anticipated that the EFSA risk assessments will continue only for those FCMs which have not been identified for a ban by ECHA or for those which have been derogated from the bans.

In addition to EFSA-ECHA joint work with the FCMs and REACH, they also cooperate with FCMs and biocides. In March 2021, they published a joint document where the two bodies identified several differences in their risk assessments for silver compounds used as biocidal active substances in the FCMs. Currently, EFSA, ECHA and EC are jointly defining the procedures and best practises for the one-substance-one assessments. Time will tell how this will function.

Mixtures of substances are of a high interest

The adverse effects from mixtures of chemical substances, so called “cocktail-effects”, are also to be considered within the EFSA risk assessments on the FCMs. In the recent past, EFSA has published several guidance documents and other information on the chemical mixtures. Many international developments are ongoing on the chemical mixtures. The mixture assessment factor is also to be introduced in the revised REACH for the safety assessment of the chemicals as outlined by the CSS. The chemical mixtures are currently a hot scientific and regulatory topic, and certainly FCMs are to be impacted by these developments.

Polymers to be registered under REACH

The CSS specifically draws attention to polymers, as today they are not subject to registration under the REACH. Therefore, in the updated REACH, the registration of polymers of toxicologically concern is foreseen. This will naturally, one way or other, have an influence on the plastic-FCMs. Furthermore, the REACH will be amended on information requirements irrespective of the manufactured or imported volume of the chemicals to enable the identification of critical hazardous properties also for the low and medium tonnages. Some other recent scientific developments have indicated that other types of polymer-materials, such as cellulose and bio-based plastics, manifest some toxicological effects. Whether the new FCM-plastic legislation is extended also to these chemicals is to be realised.

Declaration of Compliance (DoC) to be introduced for all types of FCMs

Clear and consistent regulatory rules for the data requirements as well as the rules for the information transfer through the supply chain will be set in the updated FCM-regulations. This is to improve the information flow. The requirement for the business operator to issue a Declaration of Compliance (DoC) will be introduced for all types of FCMs. Presently, coatings, printing inks and adhesives are not subject to the requirement of a DoC, except when used in plastic materials and articles. For the other FCMs, the DoC needs to be provided as dictated by the FCM Framework Regulation. A DoC structure is available in the current plastic regulation.

New business opportunities to develop safe and sustainable FCMs

The newly developed chemicals need to be safe and sustainable by design as presented by the CSS. Therefore, safer, and more sustainable alternatives are to be promoted, and the EC anticipates revising the FCM legislation including specific new rules on the safety of more sustainable production sources and methods. The EC will also provide incentives to produce safe and sustainable FCMs, e.g., using bio- and plant-based technologies. Thus, EU-funding will be available to research and develop new greener food contact materials. Furthermore, the FCM-legislation will be expanded to include the re-use of all types of FCMs and recycling. The FCM sustainability could include the aspects, such as the amount of energy used in the FCM-manufacturing and its renewability, extended self-life of the food due to the use of new FCM-types, reduced use of raw materials, re-use, and recycling of the FCM and the overall environmental footprint of the FCM. It is likely that these considerations will also be taken into account in the future assessments of the FCMs. Table 1 lists the main expected regulatory changes in the updated FCM and articles legislation.

Table 1: The main possible regulatory changes to take place in the updated FCM and articles legislation in the European Union.

Two possible ways to move forwards in the new FCM-legislation

Two possible ways to move forwards in the new FCM-legislation have been proposed by the EC: either to revise the current regulatory framework (to have Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 as a corner stone) or to develop a new regulatory framework, replacing the current regulation. Time will tell which option the EC and the EU MSs will choose. It is planned that the EC will adopt the new FCM-legislation by the end of 2022. However, delays may occur. New provisions are also anticipated to be added to the Official Food Control Regulation to establish new delegated bodies to carry out inspections and enforcement of the FCM rules. A system will be developed to verify the compliance with the FCM-legislation. It is yet to be seen how this will evolve.

Finally, I hope this blog shed some light on the upcoming revisions and adjustments in the EU’s FCM regulatory field. I wish you found some food for the thought and that this blog fed you to think about what may lie ahead. Below you find some further reading on the new regulatory developments and the references on which the text above bases.

As you just read, many changes will take place in the food contact materials and articles legislation in the coming years. Under the current European growth strategy Green Deal, many of these evolvements will be inevitable. Therefore, stay tuned, follow the Ecobio websites, use our Ecobio Manager to keep up with the regulatory changes and contact us for your open questions!

Further reading

Ecobio Services. Available at: https://ecobio.fi/en/#services

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability. Available at: https://echa.europa.eu/hot-topics/chemicals-strategy-for-sustainability

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). EU Chemicals Legislation Finder. Available at: https://echa.europa.eu/legislation-finder?utm_source=echa.europa.eu&utm_medium=display&utm_campaign=customer-insight&utm_content=banner

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Previous calls for comments and evidence https://echa.europa.eu/previous-calls-for-comments-and-evidence

European Chemicals Agency (ECHA). Restriction of per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS) under REACH.

Available at: https://echa.europa.eu/documents/10162/31366392/pfas_webinar_slides_en.pdf/361234ba-5b0c-d5d0-df0d-4145c3e08c73

European Commission (EC). Evaluation and Revision of EU Rules, Revision of EU Rules on FCMs. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/food/food/chemical-safety/food-contact-materials/specific-eu-policy-initiatives/evaluation-and-revision_en

European Commission (EC). Food Safety, Food Contact Materials. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/food/food/chemical-safety/food-contact-materials_en

European Commission (EC). Guidance on the application of Single-Use Plastic rules. Available at: file:///C:/Users/Mari.Eskola/Downloads/Questions___Answers_-_Guidance_on_the_application_of_Single-Use_Plastic_rules.pdf

European Commission (EC). Technical Regulation Information System (TRIS) Database, Twenty-second Ordinance amending the Consumer Goods Ordinance, Germany. Available at: https://ec.europa.eu/growth/tools-databases/tris/en/search/?trisaction=search.detail&year=2020&num=510

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Chemical mixtures. Available at: https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/chemical-mixtures

European Food Safety Authority (EFSA). Food Contact Materials. Available at:  https://www.efsa.europa.eu/en/topics/topic/food-contact-materials

Executive Order on Food Contact Materials and Penal Code for Violation of Related EU Acts, Denmark. BEK nr 681 af 25/05/2020. Available at: https://www.retsinformation.dk/eli/lta/2020/681

French Agency for Food, Environmental and Occupational Health and Safety (ANSES). Accelerating the assessment of endocrine disruptors. Available at: https://www.anses.fr/en/content/accelerating-assessment-endocrine-disruptors

German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR). Database BfR Recommendations on Food Contact Materials. Available at: https://bfr.ble.de/kse/faces/DBEmpfehlung_en.jsp

Keller & Heckman. EU Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and Its Impact on Packaging Webinar. Available at: https://www.khlaw.com/events/eu-chemicals-strategy-sustainability-and-its-impact-packaging-webinar

Zimmermann et al. 2020. Are bioplastics and plant-based materials safer than conventional plastics? In vitro toxicity and chemical composition. Available at: https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0160412020320213

Text: Mari Eskola, Dr, Senior Consultant, Ecobio Chemicals Team

Pictures: Shutterstock & Ecobio

Five Steps to Comply with the Taxonomy Regulation

Five Steps to Comply with the Taxonomy Regulation

DOWNLOAD OUR COMPREHENSIVE AND CONCISE WHITEPAPER TO LEARN THE FIVE STEPS NEEDED TO COMPLY WITH EU’S TAXONOMY REGULATION HERE!

Through the European Green Deal, EU aims to improve the well-being and health of citizens, make Europe climate-neutral by 2050, and protect, conserve, and enhance EU’s natural capital and biodiversity. Reaching these goals require a financial system that is more sustainable than it is today as EU aims to channel private investment into the transition to a climate neutral, climate resilient, resource-efficient, and fair economy. The EU’s Sustainable Finance package is one of the instruments of the EU Commission for delivering the policy objectives defined under the European Green Deal, and for delivering on EU’s international commitments on climate and sustainability.

To accommodate the need for a more sustainable finance sector, EU released the EU Taxonomy Regulation on the 12th of July 2020. The EU Taxonomy Regulation and EU’s Sustainable Finance Strategy was strengthened with the release of the Sustainable Finance Package on the 21st of April 2021. The package included, among others, the release of the EU Taxonomy Climate Delegated Act and a proposal for a Corporate Sustainability Reporting Directive which revises the NFRD.

The EU Taxonomy is a robust and science-based tool for companies and investors that provides criteria for determining which economic activities substantially contributes to the Green Deal objectives. The criteria also provide a common language that allows companies and investors to communicate credibly about green activities and assist the transition to a low-carbon economy.

Reach and maintain compliance with EU’s Taxonomy Regulation in a constantly moving situation

We have published a comprehensive and concise free whitepaper that helps your company reach and maintain compliance with EU’s Taxonomy Regulation in a constantly moving situation.

Do you want to know what the EU’s Taxonomy Regulation implicates and who are affected by it? Are you curious about the current timeline and what requirements apply to your company? These are just some of the questions our whitepaper answers as well as presenting the five steps to meet the requirements!

You can download our whitepaper here!

Ecobio helps meet the Taxonomy Requirements

Do you need expert help? Do you consider software solutions? Ecobio’s sustainability experts familiar with the Taxonomy requirements and experts in EHS requirements will help your company meet the expectations of the Taxonomy Regulation. Ecobio’s sustainable finance services helps you to identify your sustainable economic activities and report your alignment with the Taxonomy. Read more about our services regarding Sustainable Finance here!

With Ecobio Manager legislation compliance tool, companies can assess compliance with the do-no-significant-harm requirements and minimum safeguards as well as follow up on relevant legislation development. Read more about Ecobio Manager here!

Do you want to hear more? Kindly contact us:

Katrine Hoset

Account Manager, Senior Consultant

katrine.hoset@ecobio.fi

+358 (0)20 756 2306

Text: Katrine Hoset & Emma Björkqvist

Picture: Shutterstock

New in Sustainable Finance

Sustainability runs capital. During the last 10 years the capital in sustainable indexes has doubled. During the last year sustainability indexes that concentrate on environmental (E), social (S) and governance (G) have had higher returns than their non-sustainable competitors both on the European and North American market. As there are several indexes it can be difficult for investors to understand what they contain and how to compare them. The European Union strives to make the indexes more comparable and transparent by creating new directives and therefor creating a stronger and cleaner economy.

EU leads capital towards sustainability

The new laws concerning sustainable finance by the European Union leads towards sustainable investing by a creation of clearer definition of tools and obligations of sustainability reporting and -valuation. To support this, the European Union has published the EU Taxonomy Regulation for sustainable development. The Taxonomy Regulation contains harmonic criteria that define whether the economic activity is sustainable from the nature’s perspective. The classification contains e.g., climate change, water resources, and circular economy. The creation of the taxonomy regulation unites sustainable reporting which makes it easier for investors and other financial actors to make their investment decisions. The classification is new for companies and it is profitable to start preparing for them already now.

Additionally, the European Commission will approve a directive in June 2021 that specifies the reporting among non-financial information. The directive defines how and how widely companies must report according to the above-mentioned Taxonomy Regulation.

The first company- and investment reports in accordance with the new Taxonomy Regulation must be published in the beginning of 2022 about the financial information from 2021.

You might be interested in our webinar recording“New in Sustainable Finance: How to apply EU’s taxonomy regulation and reporting requirements” 

Are you interested in sustainable finance? Are you familiar with the new classifications and reporting requirements in sustainability by EU? Have you wondered how you should prepare to meet the obligations?

Welcome to hear more about sustainable finance, the new obligations and how one should prepare to develop the reports. Our expert will go through EU’s Taxonomy Regulation in our webinar recording.

Read more and watch the webinar here!

Text: Sanna Perkiö

Photo: Shutterstock

Sources:

Kauppalehti 5.1.2021. ”Vastuullisuus sai vauhtia koronasta”

https://ec.europa.eu/info/business-economy-euro/banking-and-finance/sustainable-finance/eu-taxonomy-sustainable-activities_en

We are looking for a chemical expert to join our team as a industry consultant

Do you want to work with sustainability in a team of experts? Do you handle even the most demanding parts of chemical legislation and company specific requirements?

We are looking for an expert in chemical legislation to join our versatile consulting team. Read more about the recruitment here and apply to join our team.

 

Text: Emma Björkqvist

Picture: Shutterstock

Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions

Biodiversity, honey bee. Nature-based solutions NbS

At the end of July, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) published a global standard for the use of nature-based solutions (NbS) to address global environmental challenges. The standard helps governments, businesses, and societies to assess the effectiveness of nature-based solutions and make the most of them to manage societal challenges such as climate change, biodiversity loss and food security.

As countries all over the world strives to emerge from the Covid-19 pandemic and move towards the UN Sustainable Development Goals, it is crucial to ensure that future investments in nature reach their potential. To help businesses and societies address this challenge, the first-ever IUCN Global Standard for Nature-based Solutions was launched to guide the institutions through NbS applications and set benchmarks for their progress.

What is Nature-based solutions and why is a standard needed?

Nature-based solutions (NbS) are actions that seek to address social challenges through the protection, restoration, and sustainable use of natural or modified ecosystems, and thereby improving the well-being of both biodiversity and people. Examples of NbS are reforestation, beach protection and green infrastructure. These all benefits both the nature and people.

There is a need for a standard to guide this kind of activities because not all solutions called nature-based are in themselves a guarantee that they take into account the well-being of both society and nature. Because of the lack of knowledge, many activities may unintentionally harm the biodiversity. The working group of the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) therefore wanted to develop a scientifically valid criteria that would be suitable for a wide range of situations, regions and social systems, so that both people and nature would benefit in the long term. Such a framework is essential to increase the scale and impact of Nature-based Solutions, to prevent negative outcomes or misuse, and help funding agencies, policy makers and other stakeholders assess the effectiveness of interventions, and direct investments in the right direction.

How does the standard work?

The Global Standard for NbS is a self-assessment tool consisting of eight criteria and related indicators, addressing all three pillars of sustainable development: biodiversity, economy, and society. The criteria also take into account sustainable project planning and management. The requirements of the standard allow the user to assess the scope and economic, environmental, and social impact of their own activities and then compare it with international agreements and objectives. At the same time, the transparency of operations is improving and operations can be continuously improved.

The standard contains indicative instructions and advice on how the user can evaluate and develop his or her own nature-based solutions and, on the other hand, see which practices still need to be improved. The standard evaluation matrix provides the user with information on how many percent of the user’s activities meet the criteria. The information is presented in color codes reminiscent of a traffic light system, from which the user can easily see which actions still need to be developed. IUCN, who monitors the standard, reviews the aspects and requirements of the standard every four years, so that their suitability for companies and actors in various fields can be improved.

Companies and other actors using the framework will be able to design effective and ambitious sustainability-based NbS, that facilitate discussion with stakeholders and, on the other hand, spark new ideas and innovations.

Need help?

Ecobio’s environmental experts help your company achieve the goals of sustainable development!

Contact us: info@ecobio.fi

Text: Mai Kärppä & Caisa Lindblom, Ecobio oy

Picture: Shutterstock

Sources:

https://www.iucn.org/theme/nature-based-solutions/iucn-global-standard-nbs

https://www.iucn.org/news/nature-based-solutions/202007/iucn-standard-boost-impact-nature-based-solutions-global-challenges

Merry Christmas & Long live the Baltic Sea!

Merry Christmas!

Dear partner, we want to thank you for the past year and wish you a peaceful Christmas season and a successful upcoming year of 2020!

This year we have chosen to donate our Christmas gift to the Baltic Sea Action Group (BSAG), which is actively working to improve the state of the Baltic Sea and its biodiversity. The Baltic Sea is important both for the species involved in its unique ecosystem and the countries surrounding it. These countries are Finland, Denmark, Sweden, Germany, Poland, Lithuania, Latvia, Estonia and Russia, which are countries where also most of our customers are located at the moment. Due to the special hydrographical and climatic conditions, the Baltic Sea is especially vulnerable to changes and the natural environment of the Baltic Sea has degraded dramatically in the past years. By supporting BSAG  we are able to give life to the Baltic Sea as a Christmas present. You can read more about BSAG and their Baltic Sea projects here.

Have a great Christmas season!

Best wishes, Ecobio team

 

Read more news here

Questions? Do not hesitate to contact us at info@ecobio.fi

9th Conference on Biodiversity in Trondheim

biodiversity

The Secretariat of the UN Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD), the UN Environment Program (UNEP) and the Norwegian Government arranges the 9th Conference on Biodiversity in Trondheim, today (Tuesday, July 2). About 450 delegates from 120 countries are expected to attend the conference. Representatives consists mainly of decision-makers and experts. Krista Mikkonen, Minister of the Environment and Climate Change in Finland, is participating in the conference.

Why is the conference held?

“In 2020 (in Kunming, China) the Convention on Biological Diversity will adopt a post-2020 global biodiversity framework as a stepping stone towards the 2050 Vision of “Living in harmony with nature”. This vision was agreed under the CBD in 2010 (in Nagoya, Japan), and reads that the vision is a world of “Living in harmony with nature” where “By 2050, biodiversity is valued, conserved, restored and wisely used, maintaining ecosystem services, sustaining a healthy planet and delivering benefits essential for all people.”

The Conference will address the challenges of achieving the 2050 Vision for Biodiversity and explore pathways for the transformational changes needed. The Trondheim Conferences on Biodiversity have since 1993 created opportunities for increasing understanding amongst stakeholders about issues on the biodiversity agenda.

The 9th Trondheim Conference will bring together decision-makers and experts from around the world to learn about and discuss knowledge and know-how for the global post-2020 biodiversity framework. The Conference will directly support the process established by the Convention on Biological Diversity for preparing this framework, with opportunities for major players to discuss key issues informally outside of the negotiation process.” https://trondheimconference.org/

Follow the live-stream from the conference here

Finland´s EU Presidency and its biodiversity agenda

On Monday (1.7.) Finland begun its six-month stint in the rotating presidency of the European Council.

The top priorities of the Finnish Presidency include strengthening the EU’s position as a global climate leader. According to the Finnish EU Presidency program, sustainability must be a common denominator for all EU action, and the implementation of Agenda 2030 for sustainable development must be ensured both within the Union and beyond. EU should raise its profile as a global climate leader by creating a long-term climate strategy which will help EU become carbon neutral in 2050. Finland will drive the EU Presidency with an ambitious and clear road map to improve biodiversity.

During its presidency, Finland will take steps to implement the UN Convention on Biological Diversity and to promote the sustainable use of natural resources and animal welfare.

Ecobio helps you reach the sustainability goals of your company – we help you balance business and nature.

For further information please get in touch:

Email: info@ecobio.fi

Phone: +358 (0)20 756 9450

The ministry of the Environment wrote about this 

Blog series on climate impacts – Textile industry

textile industry climate impact

The discussion on climate change is linked with the textile industry in multiple ways. On the one hand, the raw material supply and the production of textiles cause greenhouse gas emissions, on the other hand, the treatment of textile waste remains an unresolved question in circular economy. There is an increasing pressure for textile sector companies to improve the level of managing the environmental responsibilities, including climate impacts.

The climate impact from the textile industry can be reduced

The environmental impacts of the textile sector are related to energy and water consumption and to the use of hazardous substances over the life cycle of the product. The main environmental aspects of textiles are the raw material supply, dying, finishing, and the energy and water consumption during use, caused by the washing, drying and ironing of the textiles.

The climate impact from the textile industry can be reduced in many ways. Energy consumption shall be reduced in all stages of the life cycle, especially in manufacturing and use. The textile waste shall be first avoided, and if it is not possible, it shall be recycled as raw material, or its energy content recovered. The amendment of the EU waste directive (2018/851) requires the Member States to set up separate collection for textile waste by year 2025. It is likely that it improves the availability of textile waste, yet the utilization of the textile waste as raw material can be challenging due to the mixture of various fibers. The recyclability can be taken into account already in the design of the textile product.

The challenges in climate change and responsible operations may encourage the textile companies to develop their operations. There are several examples of innovative use of recycled or waste material as raw materials for textiles and sales and repair services of used clothes. The aim of these actions can be to reduce raw material costs, to profile as a responsible brand, and to stand out as an environmentally friendly company.

It is not only the climate change that matters in the textile industry. It is strongly linked to other environmental impacts as well as social responsibilities. To identify the environmental and social hot spots in the textile industry, it is necessary to evaluate the entire chain of operations in terms of a wide view of corporate responsibilities. Such an evaluation may include the consumption of resources (water, energy, natural resources), labor conditions and occupational health and safety.

Ecobio´s experts help you

Ecobio’s experts assist you in measuring, evaluating and developing the environmental performance, including climate change impacts. Our experts can help you improve the material and energy efficiency of your operations. We can also help you in wide sustainability-related questions and reporting. If these topics are currently relevant for you, contact Ecobio’s experts for further discussion.

 

Contact information:

Leena Tähkämö

Senior consultant

Tel. 020 756 2301

leena.tahkamo@ecobio.fi

Ecobion asiantuntija Leena Tähkämö

Plastics Roadmap – Towards a sustainable plastic economy

Reduce and Refuse, Recycle and Replace. The Plastics Roadmap for Finland was published 16th of October 2018 by the Ministry of the Environment, leading the way towards a new, sustainable plastic economy. The roadmap presents a set of key actions to find solutions to challenges caused by plastics.

The proposals for measures are:
  • Avoid littering and unnecessary consumption
  • Study the possibility to introduce a tax on plastics
  • Increase significantly the recovery of plastic waste
  • Improve the identification of plastics in buildings and sorting of plastic waste in construction sites
  • Promote the recycling and replacement of plastics in agriculture and horticulture
  • Introduce diverse recycling solutions for recovered plastics
  • Invest in a big way in alternative solutions and set up a New Plastics knowledge network
  • Raise the challenge of plastics high on the international agenda of Finland
  • Export expertise and solutions
  • Enhance research knowledge on negative health and environmental impacts of plastics and solutions to these

Plastics have lots of good properties and they are important to our economy. However, there are also significant problems relating to plastics. One of the pressing concerns is the amount of plastics ending up in the environment, in the seas and potentially in the food chains.

Plastic challenge is an opportunity for Finland and for Finnish companies. Around the world there is a growing need for safe, bio-based, recyclable, and 100% biodegradable packages. Finland has strong expertise in biomaterials and available raw materials that offer opportunities to find solutions for replacing plastics. Finland is ready to tackle the plastic challenge with good cooperation!

Ecobio is happy take part in tackling the Plastic challenge and to help companies towards a new, sustainable plastic economy. Contact our experts at: info@ecobio.fi or tel. +358 20 756 9450.

 

Read the whole article and more about the Plastics Roadmap for Finland: http://www.ym.fi/en-US/Latest_news/Press_releases/Reduce_and_Refuse_Recycle_and_Replace__P(48213)