Ensuring the non-toxicity of products and packaging: a prerequisite to achieve a circular economy and protect our health

5th April 2022 · 2:00 PM (CET)

The presence of harmful chemicals in products is impacting both our health and our environment. Consumers are exposed to many hazardous chemicals on a daily basis. The European Commission has committed, in the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability and the Circular Economy Action Plan, to make sustainable products and packaging the norm. Addressing the presence of hazardous chemicals from the design phase is a requisite to achieving these objectives.

This webinar will go into greater depth to answer these key questions:

How does the presence of hazardous chemicals in products impact our health?
How zero waste solutions are contributing to minimizing exposure to hazardous chemicals?
What can the EU do to ensure clean materials streams, achieve a toxic-free circular economy and protect consumers health?

Speakers

Dorota Napierska

Policy Officer on Toxic-Free Consumption and Production, Zero Waste Europe

Dorota is a toxicologist and holds a PhD degree in Biomedical Sciences. Prior to joining ZWE, Dorota was leading the Safer Chemicals programme at Health Care Without Harm Europe, and worked for the European Commission (DG Joint Research Center) and at the Department of Public Health of Katholieke Universiteit Leuven (Belgium). At ZWE, Dorota’s work focuses on the topic of non-toxicity of products and packaging (FCMs in particular), and the clean and effective material cycles needed for achievement of a truly circular economy.

Florian Suter

Scientific Officer and Scorecard Lead, Food Packaging Forum

Florian Suter completed his studies in environmental science with a major in atmosphere and climate. He then earned a PhD from ETH Zurich focusing on life cycle assessment (LCA) where his research was part of a Swiss national research program analysing the sustainable use of wood as a resource along the value chain. In particular, he investigated the potential benefits and challenges of cascading and substitution effects. He then went on to work as a prevention and environment expert at the Swiss Cancer League. Among others, he was responsible there for the strategic development of a framework with programs related to the environment and human health interface as well as for the analysis and communication of environmental risk factors for cancer.

Christiane Seidel

Food Policy Officer, Federation of German Consumer Organisations

Christiane Seidel holds a master’s degree in political sciences from the College of Europe in Bruges, the Institute of Political Studies in Strasbourg and the European University Viadrina in Frankfurt (Oder). At the Federation of German Consumer Organisations, Christiane’s work focuses on food safety including food contact materials. Prior to her current position, Christiane worked as a policy officer in the Brussels office of the Federation of German Consumer Organisations and as a parliamentary assistant in the German Federal Parliament.

Emily Best - Moderator

Campaign Coordinator for Toxic-Free Food Packaging

Emily works with the Food Contact Materials coalition to raise awareness of harmful chemicals in food contact materials and pass improved EU legislation. She supports coalition members in their work on FCMs while maintaining a focus on the coalition’s goals of safer food packaging, healthier foods, and a circular economy without toxic chemicals. She has a master's degree in Global Environmental Policy from American University in Washington, DC, and has spent over 10 years working in the field, primarily on food and agricultural policy.

Webinar features

Learn from frontrunners and high level experts without leaving your office
Understand how to design and implement successful zero waste programmes at the local level
Learn the stories behind the best practices
Be one step ahead with key conversations related to zero waste and circular economy strategies
Connect with like-minded local stakeholders

Enjoy the Webinar!

Supported by the LIFE Programme of the European Union. This website does not necessarily reflect the views of the donors.