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Agenda

Registration & Exhibit Hall Open
Welcome & Opening remarks
Brittany Onslow, Conference Producer, Smithers
Session I: Regulatory Update
US Regulations
Speaker and Abstract coming soon!
EPA updates safer chemical ingredients list
US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) adds 36 chemicals to Safer Chemical Ingredients List, 22 used in food contact materials; four are classified as chemicals of potential concern according to FPF’s Food Contact Chemicals database
Herb Estreicher | Partner, Keller & Heckman
Networking Break
Session II: Recycling
< Session Description >
This session will cover recycling challenges and innovations within the food contact space. Not only will presenters talk about the challenges but give an in-depth look at what you can expect when starting to make packaging recyclable, what would be provided to you, and addressing the HOW and WHAT of the problem, rather than just a simple explanation of how the solution can best help you. How did you bring the product to market? How did you decide it was safe?
To be Determined
Plastic waste: an irreversible disaster or opportunity for positive change?
The need to change how we manage our post-consumer resources is undeniable and has paved the way for a major paradigm shift, transitioning from a Linear to a Circular Economy. The first step in the transformation to a Circular Economy is achieved through our mindset towards resources and our perception of value. Plastics are as diverse in application as they are abundant. Designing for recyclability is a critical first step in closing the loop on plastics, creating downstream value. However, without the proper attention to aftermarket recovery and feedstock preparation, this key innovation in design will never be truly fulfilled.
 
The role of Advanced Mechanical Recycling is to strengthen the full circularity of recyclates up to the highest quality. By capitalizing on the value in diversity, separating by application, polymer and color, this collaborative, innovative and progressive technology will enable meeting both the volume and purity demands of a dynamic consumer market. Although separated by many steps in the circular supply chain, designing for Recyclability and Advanced Mechanical Recycling are co-dependent with one serving as an insurance policy for the other. The role each sector plays and their interdependence within the supply chain is representative of the fact that a Circular Economy may only be realized through cross-sector, multidisciplinary collaboration.
 
Nick Doyle | Recycling Area Sales Manager, West, TOMRA
Networking Lunch
Use of Recycled Plastics in Food Packaging: Chemistry Considerations – Case Studies of Surrogate Contamination and Analyses
This presentation will provide an overview of the testing procedure used to receive a Letter of no Objection from the FDA for post-consumer recycled plastic. It will provide the resultant levels of surrogate contamination from multiple studies using HDPE, PP, and PET.
Roger Pearson, PhD | President Analytical Services, Aspen Research Corporation
FDA and EU addressing the recycling program and process
Session III: Sustainability – How are companies implementing sustainability in their products and eliminating single-use plastic?
Focus Food packaging
Part 1 - Food safety, clean packaging, and product transparency
What is clean packaging and why is product transparency important? What needs to be done in regard to compliance and safety?
We will discuss the main strategy and the process HAVI applies to address these important topics, and how to work together with supply partners to make packaging work.
We will show how the program makes health, safety, and environmental protection an integral part of the life cycle of food  packaging, and how it supports increased consumer protection and food safety.
Part 2 - The challenges – Supply chain issues and a rapidly changing regulatory landscape and why pro-active issues management is important
We will discuss the main strategy and the process HAVI applies to address supply chain issues and emerging regulations and their impact on packaging.
We will show how the supply chain can work better and how a supplier and vendor supported Anticipated Issues Management (AIM) framework reinforces food and packaging safety.
Wolfgang Urhahn | Director, Global Compliance and Packaging Safety, HAVI
How Footprint Center will eliminate single-use plastics in concessions and create a ripple effect in a community
Abstract coming soon!
Susan Koehler | CMO, Footprint
Networking Break
Session IV: Supply Chain – Working Together to Make Packaging Work
< Session Description >
This session will cover supply chain issues, research, innovations and how working together to make packaging work can encourage more collaborations.
Strategic Product Development: The Importance of Research and Regulatory Collaboration
Additional Presenter:
Bethany Woods, Food Contact Compliance Manager- Dispersions & Resins North America, BASF


To provide innovative and food contact compliant solutions to customers, collaboration between product development and regulatory is essential.  This presentation will focus on a strategic approach to integrating regulatory support into the research and development process.  It will highlight key principles to improve product development efficiency (material design, formulation, evaluation and scale-up) and avoid regulatory setbacks and pitfalls.
 
Additional discussion points include:
  • Aligning with customer expectations
  • Identifying key stakeholders
  • Incorporating the appropriate food contact conditions of use and food types
  • Including third party support
  • And more…

Gary Deeter | Principle Scientist for Dispersions and Resins , BASF
PANEL: How can supply chains work together to make packaging work
Panelists:
  • Steve Shannon, National Sales Manager, Strategic Accounts Industrial Packaging Solutions, HP
Moderator:  
  • Marjorie DePuy, Senior Director, Supply Chain and Sustainability, The Food Industry Association (FMI)
This panel will address how supply chains can work together to make packaging more sustainable, recyclable, appeal to consumer demand and insights, comply to regulations and more. Panelists will take 5 minutes to introduce themselves, their company and what they are currently working on to move food contact packaging forward.
Networking Reception
Exhibit Hall Open
Welcome & Opening remarks
Session V: Regulation Activity Across the US
< Session Description >
This session will address bans across states, the process for bans and materials, NGO involvement, any current material bans and hot topics. This will include PFAS, TPCH and more.
US State Packaging Legislation Trends
This session will go over key state packaging legislation trends such as bills concerning extended producer responsibility, post-consumer recycled content, and prohibitions on use of certain substances in food packaging. We will look at similarities and key differences in bills in particular states.
Andrea G. Ferrenz | Food Law Counsel, Legal Department, Campbell Soup Company
Presentation to be Announced
Abstract and speaker coming soon.
Perspectives from a meal kit company
  • Packaging food safety performance (ability to maintain temperature control, prevent cross contamination, provide for oxygen transmission)
  • Packaging quality performance (seal integrity when subject to temperature fluctuation)
  • Safety of packaging material (food grade)
  • Recyclability of material (consumer expectation)
  • USDA’s Mail Order Food Safety
  • Conference for Food Protection (CFP) guidance
  • How do you balance all of the above?

Felix J. Vendrell CFS, ASQ CMQ/OE, CFSQA, CP-FS | Corporate Food Safety & Quality Assurance Program Manager, Product, Home Chef
Networking Break
Presentation to be Announced
More coming soon!
Networking Lunch
Session VI: Materials in Focus: Packaging
PANEL: Innovations in Materials
Panelists:
  • Kara Pochiro, VP of Communications & Public Affairs, APR
  • Paul Schutes, Executive Director, Recycled Paperboard Alliance
Description coming soon.
Title to be Determined
Food contact substances present unique challenges for manufacturers seeking regulatory compliance. Food contact notifications (FCNs) typically require complicated chemical analysis, detailed description of manufacturing, an evaluation of the substance’s migration from food, and a safety assessment. This talk will provide an overview of the FCN history and process, present some unique challenges that notifiers may face, and discuss strategies for a successful FDA submission
Leslie Patton, BS, PhD | Principal Scientific Consultant, TSG Consulting
Improvement of Barrier (gas/moisture) & Physical Properties of PE Films with Eastman Additives
Oriented and/or non-oriented PE films modified with Eastman additives in food packaging -Lowers permeability rates, broadens operating windows and reduces scrap production -Barrier improvements in these PE film structures is providing a more sustainable solution by enabling a mono-material PE films relative to other non-recyclable multi-material oriented or non-oriented film structures - Higher loadings of resins in PE films broadens processing window during orientation.
Francis Olajide, Jr. | Global Appl. Technology Leader – Polyolefins Modification, Polymer Performance Additives, Eastman
End of Day Two
Closing Remarks