Congress introduces No Toxics in Food Packaging Act of 2023

A bill introduced to the U.S. House of Representatives on Oct. 26, 2023, is the latest legislative effort to make food safer. H.R. 6105, known as the No Toxics in Food Packaging Act of 2023, calls for certain substances to be deemed unsafe for food contact packaging.

These include any chemical belonging to the class of ortho-phthalates, of which 11 specific chemicals are named. Also prohibited would be any chemical belonging to the class of PFAS, defined as perfluoroalkyl and polyfluoroalkyl substances that are manmade with at least one fully fluorinated carbon atom. Bisphenol A, B, S, F or AF or related compounds, styrene and antimony trioxide also made the list. If the bill is passed, companies will have two years after the date of enactment to comply.

Representatives Jan Schakowsky (D-Illinois), Rosa DeLauro (D-Connecticut) and Debbie Dingell (D-Michigan) introduced the legislation, citing effects of these chemicals to cause cancer and disrupt hormones.

“I’m proud to introduce the No Toxics in Food Packaging Act with Reps. DeLauro and Dingell to finally ban several of the most dangerous toxic chemicals used in food packaging and processing materials that we know can cause harm,” Schakowsky said in a press release. “For my entire career, I have fought for food safety, and there is still more work to be done. Consumers deserve to know that the foods and products they purchase are safe and will not lead to adverse health effects. The time to act is now.”

Earlier this year, Reps. Schakowsky and DeLauro introduced the Food Chemical Reassessment Act (H.R. 3927), which would create an Office of Food Safety Reassessment at FDA to study the safety of chemicals and reestablish a food advisory committee. The bill was referred to the Subcommittee on Health on June 9.