Maine officials urged to enforce ban on chemicals in food packaging

MAINE, Maine — Maine Legal professional Normal Aaron Frey is being urged to implement a ban on poisonous chemical compounds often called phthalates in meals packaging. Federal research have linked prenatal publicity to phthalates to adversarial well being results, particularly in younger youngsters.

The ban, handed in 2019, was supposed to enter impact on Jan. 1. 

That prohibition has been delayed by state regulators due to financial challenges within the market, however advocates have mentioned the ban is required now, after latest checks present phthalates in merchandise bought in Maine grocery shops, from soda to beer.

“It is time for the state to step up and take motion to implement the regulation that was handed in 2019 and drive these corporations to get these chemical compounds out of their packaging,” Patrick MacRoy, deputy director of environmental advocacy group Defend Our Well being, mentioned. The nonprofit group helped write a draft of the regulation. 

The chemical compounds are utilized in processing gear and may leech into meals merchandise. They’re additionally within the lining of jar lids and metallic bottle caps.

Federal research present the chemical compounds can disrupt hormone manufacturing, with pregnant girls and growing infants at larger threat for well being considerations. 

The Maine Division of Environmental Safety defined its place on delaying enforcement in an announcement from DEP Commissioner Melanie Loyzim on its web site.  

“We’re asking Maine’s Legal professional Normal Frey to truly step ahead and ensure that these massive multibillion-dollar corporations observe Maine’s regulation,” MacRoy mentioned.

The nonprofit despatched a letter to Frey asking that enforcement actions be taken towards two multinational companies: Goya Meals Integrated and Anheuser-Busch. 

The letter additionally exhibits the outcomes of checks by two totally different labs that discovered phthalates in additional than 10 totally different Goya merchandise, together with sofrito sauce and soda and Corona Additional beer. 

“All of them had phthalates of their cap liners. We examined plenty of totally different Anheuser-Busch merchandise, and one among them had the phthalates, and that was the Corona Additional,” MacRoy mentioned.

DEP officers didn’t reply to repeated requests for remark. 

A spokesperson from the Maine legal professional common’s workplace instructed NEWS CENTER Maine that they’re “working carefully with the Maine Division of Environmental Safety because it follows up on this new data.”

Environmental advocates, in the meantime, have mentioned extra U.S. meals and beverage producer and have began utilizing phthalate-free caps over the previous two years.

Goya Meals Inc. and Anheuser-Busch didn’t reply to NEWS CENTER Maine requests for an announcement.