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  3. Sustainable Food Contact Materials Europe 2025

Programme

  1. Welcome and introduction

  2. Session 1: Understanding the regulatory landscape

  3. EU Commission update on the implementation of FCM legislation

    • Latest developments in food contact materials legislative revision
    • Implementation of present legislation

  4. Navigating the Food Contact Plastic and Recycled Plastics regulations updates

  5. An NGO perspective on the revision of FCM laws

    • Harmful chemicals are still being found in food contact materials
    • Non-harmonised legislation causes concern
    • The bisphenols ban is a good, but only the first step forward
    • A modern and protective food contact materials legislation

  6. Q&A session

  7. Refreshment break

  8. Session 2: Sustainability and chemical safety

  9. Influence of the Chemicals Strategy for Sustainability (CSS) on food contact materials

    • Key EU Chemicals Policy changes impacting sustainability and FCMs
      • Generic Risk Management Approach (GRA)
      • Essential Use Concept (EUC)
    • EU Regulations for FCM based on risk assessment
    • Future regulatory FCM intentions and challenges
      • Incorporating sustainability – why ?
      • Restricting the use of reactive chemistries based on hazardous properties

  10. Potential chemical hazards associated with new alternative food packaging

    • Growing awareness of the environmental footprint and health impact of food packaging
    • Anticipating the chemical safety challenges with new alternative food packaging
      • Recycled materials
      • Bio-based and biodegradable materials
      • Reusable food packaging
    • Challenges in meeting regulatory requirements for new alternative food packaging in food packaging applications
    • Resources and tools enabling stakeholders to make better decisions by applying the latest science on chemicals in food contact materials

  11. BPA and bisphenol: Regulatory impacts

    • Commission Regulation (EU) 2024/3190 of 19 December 2024 on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenols: Overview, Scope and Transition periods
    • Implications for recycled materials

  12. Q&A session

  13. Lunch break

  14. Session 3: Managing substances of concern and NIAS

  15. Implementation of article 11 of the Drinking Water Directive EU 2020/2184 

    • The first EU harmonized positive list for drinking water contact materials and re-evaluation of substances
    • Interaction with other relevant pieces of legislation

  16. PFAS in food contact materials: Regulatory compliance and control

    • Introduction and definition of PFAS; why PFAS in FCMs is a growing concern globally
    • Regulatory landscape overview
      • Food Contact Regulations
      • Current status of PFAS regulations in the EU (including national regulation)
      • PPWR
    • Compliance pathways
      • How companies can assess and manage PFAS risks in FCMs
      • Proposed testing plan

  17. Assessing non-intentionally added substances (NIAS) in the new regulatory context

    • Introduction to NIAS and why they are important
    • NIAS and Regulation (EU) 2025/351
    • NIAS within future legislation?

  18. Q&A session

  19. Refreshment break

  20. Session 4: Assessing expectations versus reality

  21. A tightrope walk between food contact and sustainability regulations

    This presentation will address the difficulties of complying with sustainability regulations, food contact regulations and other chemical regulations, while some topics are currently facing non-aligned double regulation:

    • Meeting recycling targets for plastics under PPWR while fulfilling EU Recycled Plastics Regulation
    • PFAS bans for food contact materials under US state regulations, PPWR and REACH
    • Mineral Oils addressed by the French Circular Economy Law and under the EU food contaminants legislation
    • Ban of substances with “hazardous properties” under various sustainability regulations
    • PCB limit under POPs Regulation for organic pigments

  22. Q&A session

  23. Panel discussion: Addressing transparency, innovation, and consumer protection in FCMs

  24. Close of day one