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Recycled plastics could help reduce the world’s growing waste crisis, but only if food packaging is carefully regulated to prevent contamination, according to a new analysis from the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO).The UN food security agency warns that recycled plastics and alternative packaging materials can help reduce waste, but only if recycling systems are carefully managed to prevent harmful chemicals migrating into food.&nbsp;“Plastic waste is a growing global problem. Better and more effective recycling is fundamental and is part of the solution,” said Vittorio Fattori, a food security officer at FAO.&nbsp;“While we need to be better at reducing plastic pollution and improving recycling, we need to make sure that by trying to solve one problem in one area, we don't create new ones.”&nbsp;Food packaging plays a central role in modern food systems by preserving quality, extending shelf life and reducing food loss. The sector is growing rapidly, with the market projected to grow from an estimated $505 billion in 2024 to more than $815 billion by 2030.Yet the growth of plastic packaging has fuelled environmental concerns. Less than 10 per cent of global plastic waste has been recycled so far, although that share is expected to rise as countries pursue sustainability goals.<h3>A complex recycling stream</h3>Unlike many other recycled products, food packaging must meet strict chemical safety standards.Plastic food containers and wrappers can contain thousands of substances used during manufacturing, including stabilizers, coatings, pigments and plasticizers. Additional contaminants may enter during the recycling process through improper sorting, environmental exposure or previous consumer use.&nbsp;The FAO analysis also found that recycled plastics can contain higher levels of substances such as metals, flame retardants, phthalates and persistent organic pollutants than newly produced plastics.&nbsp;Experts stress that recycled plastics approved for food use can be as safe as virgin plastics when they undergo rigorous cleaning, decontamination and regulatory review. In the European Union (EU), for example, authorized recycled food-contact materials must meet the same standards as new plastics.&nbsp;“The report’s main finding is: while recycled plastic and alternative food contact materials can offer environmental benefits, they can also raise some important food safety questions,” Mr. Fattori said.“Applying [the principles of a] circular economy is important, it’s fundamental. But it must be done right.”&nbsp;<h3>New materials, new questions</h3>The analysis also examines alternative packaging materials, including bioplastics, plant fibres and protein-based materials, which are increasingly promoted as more sustainable substitutes for conventional plastics.&nbsp;But “bio-based” does not always mean biodegradable. Some materials derived from renewable sources, such as corn or sugarcane, are chemically similar to fossil fuel-based plastics, while others break down only under specific conditions.The report warns that plant-based packaging may introduce risks linked to agriculture, including pesticide residues, toxins and heavy metals. Protein-based materials may also allow allergens, such as gluten, to migrate into food.&nbsp;Like conventional plastics, many alternatives also rely on chemical additives to improve performance and some still lack sufficient long-term safety data.<h3>Microplastics poorly understood</h3>The analysis also addresses growing public concern over microplastics and nanoplastics found in food and beverages. Scientists have detected tiny plastic particles in human blood, lungs, breast milk and placentas, confirming widespread exposure.&nbsp;But regulators lack reliable and harmonized methods to consistently detect and measure those particles, making it difficult to assess clear risks to human health.&nbsp;The report notes that recycling facilities themselves can contribute to microplastic pollution, particularly during mechanical recycling processes that break plastics into smaller fragments.&nbsp;“It all has to start with well-controlled recycling processes, including cleaning and removal of chemical contaminants,” Mr. Fattori said.&nbsp;<h3>Towards global standards </h3>The findings are expected to inform ongoing discussions at the Codex Alimentarius Commission, the international food standards body established by FAO and the World Health Organization (WHO).Countries currently apply different regulatory approaches to recycled plastics and food-contact materials, creating challenges for trade and consumer protection, the report notes.“Our role is to provide support to countries in terms of, first, harmonizing for example regulations on food safety implication related to packaging materials,” Mr. Fattori said.According to the report, harmonized global standards would help countries strengthen science-based food safety systems while helping countries reduce plastic waste.Sources: <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/05/1167498" data-mce-href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/05/1167498">https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/05/1167498</a>

Recycled plastics for food use require stronger safeguards, warn UN food security experts

Since the outbreak of war on 28 February, several unique sites of cultural significance have been damaged in Iran, Israel and Lebanon, alongside immense suffering, displacement and death.<h3>UNESCO alerts</h3>These treasures feature on the United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO) World Heritage List, along with Israel’s White City of Tel-Aviv and Tyre in Lebanon, which have also sustained damage in the first three weeks of the war.The UN agency communicates “and will continue to communicate to all parties concerned the geographical coordinates of sites on the World Heritage List…to take all feasible precautions to avoid damage,” officials told UN News.Worryingly, UNESCO cautions that several other sites are also at risk, notably in Armenia, Azerbaijan, Bahrain, Cyprus, Iraq, Jordan, Kuwait, Oman, Palestine, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Syria, Türkiye, United Arab Emirates, and Yemen.<h3>Education, science and media under fire</h3>The deteriorating security situation is also impacting schools, universities and journalists, with growing disruption and danger now endangering education personnel, students and infrastructure.&nbsp;“UNESCO is deeply concerned by the impact of the current security deterioration on education, science and research institutions across the region,” the agency told us, highlighting major disruption to learning, research and access to information. “This creates immediate risks for children, youth, teachers, researchers, and education professionals. It also weakens the institutions that societies depend on for recovery, dialogue, peace and stability.”<h3>‘Deeper learning crisis’</h3>If the violence continues, UNESCO warned of a “deeper learning crisis” across the Middle East, marked by a “greater exclusion of the most vulnerable children, loss of teachers and researchers, weakening of public trust in institutions and lasting damage to the region’s scientific capacities”.The agency insisted that schools, universities, laboratories and research institutions are not only service providers, but “part of the social fabric and future human capital of the region…Protecting them is therefore not only a humanitarian necessity, but also fundamental for longer-term recovery, resilience and peace. &nbsp; &nbsp;Sources:<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167181" data-mce-href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167181">https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167181</a>

War in the Middle East: Cultural treasures damaged, with more at risk

The World Health Organization (WHO) called on Tuesday for countries to step up action to end tuberculosis (TB) – one of the world’s deadliest infectious killers – by expanding access to new diagnostic tools that can help save lives.&nbsp;s caused by bacteria that most often affects the lungs. &nbsp;Every day, over 3,300 people die from the disease, with Southeast Asia accounting for nearly 40 per cent of deaths. Yet it is both preventable and treatable, including by using the antibiotic rifampicin.&nbsp;WHO has issued new guidelines on testing, recommending that countries deploy innovations such as new near-point-of-care molecular diagnostic tests and tongue swabs, both of which can help with faster detection.&nbsp;<h3>Fast and accurate diagnosis&nbsp;</h3>The tests cost half the price of those currently available, operate on battery power and deliver results in less than an hour, meaning that treatment can begin sooner.&nbsp;Tongue swabs allow adults and young people who cannot produce sputum to receive TB testing for the first time. &nbsp;Specimens can therefore be easily collected, thus enabling detection among people who are at an increased risk of dying from the disease.&nbsp;“These new tools could be truly transformative for tuberculosis, by bringing fast, accurate diagnosis closer to people, saving lives, curbing transmission and reducing costs,” said WHO Director-General Tedros Adhanom Ghebreyesus.&nbsp;Beyond TB, they also have the potential to test for other diseases such as HIV, mpox, and HPV (human papillomavirus).&nbsp;The guidelines also recommend a sputum pooling strategy in which samples from several individuals are mixed and tested together – an approach that can improve testing efficiency and significantly reduce costs, particularly when resources are constrained.&nbsp;<h3>Global health funding slashed&nbsp;</h3>WHO noted that although global efforts to combat TB have saved roughly 83 million lives since the year 2000, funding cuts are putting these gains at risk. &nbsp;&nbsp;Uptake of rapid diagnostic tools has been a challenge in many countries due to factors such as high costs and reliance on sample transport to support testing at centralized laboratories.&nbsp;Although the new technologies represent a critical step forward, the UN agency said ending TB will require sustained investment in research and innovation at a time when global funding for research remains far below the estimated $5 billion needed annually.&nbsp;<h3>We can end TB&nbsp;</h3>The new guidelines were issued on World TB Day which is being celebrated under the theme “Yes! We can end TB.”&nbsp;WHO urged governments to accelerate roll out of the new diagnostic tools, strengthen people-centred TB care and build resilient health systems.&nbsp;They are also encouraged to tackle the social and economic drivers of the disease, and protect essential TB services amid global crises and funding constraints.&nbsp;Every dollar spent combating TB generates up to $43 in health and economic returns, according to Dr. Tereza Kasaeva, Director of WHO’s Department for HIV, Tuberculosis, Hepatitis and Sexually Transmitted Infections.&nbsp;&nbsp;“What is required now is decisive leadership, strategic investment and rapid implementation of WHO recommendations and innovations to save lives and protect communities,” she said.&nbsp; &nbsp; &nbsp;Sources:<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167190" data-mce-href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167190">https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167190</a>&nbsp;

‘Truly transformative’ new diagnostic tools can help end tuberculosis

Around two-thirds of children worldwide report an increase in cyberbullying, with one in two say they don’t know how to get the right support, according to a recent poll carried out by the UN’s top official who works to end violence against children.&nbsp;The report highlights “alarming trends” and “the urgent need for the entire online ecosystem to act faster and together to protect children,” the Spokesperson for the UN Secretary-General, Stéphane Dujarric, said.&nbsp;The findings come amid increasing threats to children with growing conflicts, displacement, poverty, and levels of violence.&nbsp;"We meet today once again in a challenging world, where children are paying the highest price,” said Dr. Najat Maalla M’jid, UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General on Violence against Children, while launching the report at the Human Rights Council on Tuesday in Geneva.<h3>AI ‘fundamentally transforming the threat’</h3>With responses from over 30,000 children across every region, the report emphasised the widespread impact of artificial intelligence (AI) in “fundamentally transforming the threat” facing children online.&nbsp;The rapid advancement and accessibility of generative AI is reshaping cyberbullying, making it faster, more targeted, harder to detect, and capable of spreading across multiple platforms at a massive scale.In the current climate, which enables AI-generated deepfake photos and videos and the manipulation of children through chatbots and other tools, children often over-trust and cannot distinguish from real human interaction.AI deepfakes “are increasingly used to humiliate, threaten and exploit children online” warned the statement released by Dr. M’jid office on Tuesday.<h3>Fears over stigma&nbsp;</h3>Children find it challenging to report cyberbullying because they face stigma and fear, being rejected by their peers or being judged by adults, according to the findings,The impact of not reporting can be immediate and devastating – causing psychological distress and lasting reputational harm in just a matter of seconds. In the most tragic cases, it can drive children to take their own lives.<h3>Design digital world ‘with us’</h3>Dr. M’jid stressed the need to involve all with a stake in the child online protection ecosystem, including, governments, industry, educators, families, children and youth, as the only way to protect children from online harm while enabling safe digital participation.One child consulted by Dr. M’jid’s team said that “digital spaces must not become places where harm is reported but never resolved. They must be places where help comes quickly, safely, humanly. Do not design the digital future for children. Design it with us.”Sources:<a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167111" data-mce-href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167111">https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/03/1167111</a>

An ‘alarming’ two-thirds of children say cyberbullying has increased

In a new report on the underground global scourge that conservative estimates say generates up to $18 billion in illicit profits annually, the UN Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) highlighted that all regions of the world have been drawn in, although little data is available outside Europe.&nbsp;Globally, legal waste management was worth $1.2 trillion in 2024, up from $410 billion in 2011.“This is not an abstract challenge, but one with severe consequences for public health, as it drives toxic pollution of drinking water, the ocean, soil and more,” said Candice Welsch, Director of Policy Analysis and Public Affairs at UNODC, which noted that corporate involvement in waste crime and trafficking is common.“Some companies do not comply with regulations, others knowingly acquire illegal services and still others have parallel illegal operations,” the agency said, adding that the least valuable or most difficult waste to dispose of, flows from wealthy regions to poorer regions.And while electronic or e-waste is considered one of the fastest growing sources of trash worldwide, other mass-produced items such as solar panels have already been identified as “susceptible to exploitation by organized crime groups”, the UN agency noted.<h3>Barrier to development</h3>Only around one-fifth of e-waste is managed in an environmentally sound way, according to 2022 data.&nbsp;This means that out of a possible $91 billion that could have been reclaimed from the raw materials used (iron, copper and gold, among others), illegal traffickers swiped $28 billion, making it a major obstacle to economic sustainability and sustainable development.&nbsp;In addition, the illegal waste trade causes ecosystem damage, health risks and inequality in destination countries lacking environmentally-sound waste management, while undermining governance, fuelling corruption and supporting organized crime.<h3>Shopping around</h3>“Most [organized crime groups] seem highly knowledgeable about legislation and regulations, with waste trafficking requiring a high level of expertise”, the UN report’s authors said, meaning that they “jurisdiction shop” for those places with the weakest regulations and lightest penalties.The UN study also highlighted “sophisticated logistics” put in place to coordinate the various steps of the criminal activity, “including waste collection, export, import and delivery and disposal”, often by different operators in different countries.&nbsp;Waste traffickers are active at a local level and in large-scale intercontinental trafficking, whose operations involve “legitimate companies with decentralised networks and chains of individual actors”, UNODC said, citing INTERPOL investigations.&nbsp;Once set up with legal front companies, criminal gangs carry out their illegal activities, “such as pouring liquid waste into streams or lakes”, burning waste to generate energy and mislabelling hazardous waste as safe.&nbsp;Dumping is another favoured tactic of traffickers who can undercut legal competitors when tendering for waste disposal contracts.“In some cases, waste traffickers control the entire processing cycle, from the country of export to the country of import and possess substantial human and financial resources,” the report’s authors noted, citing EUROPOL.<h3>Price war</h3>In addition to gaps in waste disposal legislation which benefit organized criminal groups, UNODC stressed that limited enforcement capacities, lack of traceability and low penalties also facilitate the work of traffickers across the world.The impact is being detected in the European Union, where there’s growing demand for illegal waste disposal sparked by stricter regulations and increasing costs of legal disposal. UNODC also points out that the illegal extraction of raw materials from waste has become a lucrative business in Europe, where “the fines imposed have been lower than the profits that can be earned from a single illegal e-waste shipment”.Patchy enforcement of existing regulations impacts developing countries that process shipments of illegal waste too, the UN agency stressed, highlighting the numerous informal waste pickers “working on landfills, who can suffer various negative health impacts”.Sources: <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167033" data-mce-href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167033">https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1167033</a>

Organized crime and poor regulation to blame for toxic pollution threat

Women entrepreneurs must be recognized as the architects of economic change and not the beneficiaries.That was the central message of the Manama Declaration, issued at the close of the World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum (WEIF) held this week in Bahrain.The declaration places women at the heart of economic transformation, underscoring that empowering them within business and innovation ecosystems is essential to achieving inclusive and sustainable growth.It also calls for strengthening women’s presence across emerging sectors, including the green, blue and orange economies which respectively promote environmental responsibility, sustainable use of ocean resources and creativity.Organized by the UN Industrial Development Organization’s (UNIDO) Investment and Technology Promotion Office in Bahrain, the forum convened leaders, investors and entrepreneurs from around the world to shape a more resilient global economy and unlock new opportunities for women-led enterprises.<h3>“An amazing opportunity”</h3>For many participants, the forum delivered tangible results.Doris Martin, CEO of DMartin Consultancy in Bahrain, attended in search of meaningful collaboration and found it.Through business-to-business (B2B) meetings facilitated during the event, she established partnerships with companies in the United Arab Emirates and Morocco.“This forum has been effective for me,” she told UN News. “I’ve had B2B collaboration with regional companies through Bahrain and through UNIDO.”Tosin Arwejulo, CEO of Leadership Excel Consultancy and a Nigerian-American entrepreneur based in Bahrain, described the forum as a “powerful networking platform.”“I’ve had the opportunity to talk to people from literally every continent,” she said. “It has been an amazing opportunity to connect with like-minded leaders.”<h3>Shared challenges, shared solutions</h3>The forum’s impact extended beyond the Arab region.Ayanthi Gurusinghe, President of the Ceylon Chamber of Women Entrepreneurs in Sri Lanka and representative of the South Asian Women Development Forum, attended alongside delegates from India, Nepal, Bangladesh and Pakistan.She said participants exchanged valuable lessons, particularly around access to finance, a challenge faced by women entrepreneurs across regions.“It was a good opportunity for networking, to come together, share views, learn and exchange experiences,” she said, expressing appreciation to UNIDO for creating a space where global connections could flourish.<h3>Special focus on artists with disabilities</h3>Beyond panel discussions and networking sessions, the forum also spotlighted inclusive entrepreneurship through three exhibitions including on “Determined Creative Entrepreneur.”Among the exhibitors was Nisreen Samour of Micro Art Center in Bahrain, which specializes in training and developing artistic talent, with a special focus on artists with disabilities.“Today, we have about nine students participating, each specializing in an artistic field that aligns with their interests and abilities,” she said.“I personally train them, and we are currently working on developing their skills and empowering them to produce professional artwork that will help them effectively enter the art market and the job market, thus contributing to increased productivity and the center's overall performance” she told UN News.The centre also works with orphans, helping them develop artistic skills and showcase their work publicly — fostering independence and self-reliance through creativity.<h3>The role of academia</h3>One recurring theme was the role of higher education in preparing young women to enter the world of entrepreneurship.In an interview with UN News, Dr. Nihal Al-Najjar, professor at the Royal University for Women in Bahrain, highlighted the need to embed entrepreneurship deeply within academic systems.“Our academic role is to integrate entrepreneurship not just as a subject, but as a methodology,” she said, explaining that experiential learning and practical application are key. “We encourage students to think, innovate and identify gaps in society, and then work to find solutions.”She added that universities must go beyond classroom teaching by connecting students to the wider entrepreneurial ecosystem, guiding them towards mentorship, funding opportunities and professional networks when they are ready to launch their own ventures.<h3>A driving force for sustainable development</h3>The World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum (WEIF) was preceded by the annual conference of the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC)—a New York-based NGO that helps women-owned businesses to grow.Speaking at the conference, UNIDO Director General Gerd Müller described women’s entrepreneurship as a driving force for sustainable development, global innovation and economic inclusion.“We must ensure that women everywhere have a level playing field and are given the opportunity to unlock their full potential,” he stated, highlighting persistent barriers to finance, technology, and higher-skilled roles for women globally.Reaffirming UNIDO’s commitment, he added that “empowering women is essential to achieving the Sustainable Development Goals.” &nbsp;The 17 SDGs, adopted by governments in 2015, provide a blueprint for a more just and equitable future for all people and the planet.Mr. Müller praised Bahrain’s leadership in supporting entrepreneurship and women’s economic participation and outlined UNIDO’s ongoing work in crisis-affected countries, noting, “UNIDO has just started working to set up recovery programmes in Syria, Sudan, and Palestine… mostly the women there are affected, and they need our support.”<h3>Women as engines of business</h3>In her opening remarks, IWEC Chair Ibukun Awosika highlighted women’s transformative role as engines of business, leadership, and national progress.She emphasized that women constitute half of the world’s productive assets and, when empowered, become game changers in corporate and political leadership. Drawing on her own journey, Ms. Awosika recalled building a manufacturing group over 36 years before becoming the first and only woman chair of sub-Saharan Africa’s oldest financial institution, First Bank of Nigeria.“What women represent to the world is 50 per cent of its assets — productive, constructive assets that are game changers when fully deployed,” she said.“Every nation that has enough wisdom to invest and to actualize the talent that is in 50 per cent of its population is a country that is set to win.”<h3>Success Stories from Bahrain and Nigeria</h3>According to its website, the International Women Entrepreneurial Challenge (IWEC) has recognized 575 distinguished awardees globally, honoured annually at its conferences and nominated by partner organizations, representing women-owned businesses from across the world.In Bahrain, IWEC recognized a new cohort of awardees from the Middle East and Africa.Among them was Sonia Mohamed Janahi, founder of Maya La Chocolaterie, who highlighted UNIDO’s role in advancing women’s entrepreneurship.With UNIDO’s support, Janahi expanded her Bahraini chocolate brand into Africa, establishing a cocoa processing plant in Côte d’Ivoire, creating jobs, promoting ethical supply chains, and ensuring global recognition for African-produced chocolate.“UNIDO has played a very vital role in my progression. They have taken my project and opened opportunities for me,” she told UN News, underscoring UNIDO’s commitment to recognizing women entrepreneurs across Bahrain, the Middle East, and Africa.“This event represents women globally and investments over $6 billion that bring women globally together. It awards women who have not just started a business but have sustained a business and scaled up a business and have had an impact on the economy and on the society.”Also honoured was Nigerian entrepreneur Oluwakelemi, who discussed her gifting and lifestyle retail business, which employs women and supports household incomes across Nigeria while preparing to expand internationally.“I am passionate about building scalable African businesses with global reach,” she told UN News. “Not less than 5,000 people have been able to benefit from our business, from our work.”Sources: <a href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1166964" data-mce-href="https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1166964">https://news.un.org/en/story/2026/02/1166964</a> &nbsp; &nbsp;&nbsp;

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Recycled plastics for food use require stronger safeguard...

War in the Middle East: Cultural treasures damaged, with ...

‘Truly transformative’ new diagnostic tools can help end ...

An ‘alarming’ two-thirds of children say cyberbullying ha...

Organized crime and poor regulation to blame for toxic po...

World Entrepreneurs and Investment Forum puts women at th...