What are the biggest developments in food contact regulations in the last 6 months?
Ahead of this year's Food Contact Regulations conferences taking place in Brussels and Washington, we've collated our top 10 news articles for the food contact sector. Have a browse and find out about some of the most significant regulatory developments affecting food contact materials in recent months:
1. NGO presses UK for urgent action on PFAS in food packaging
31 October 2019
NGO CHEM Trust is calling on the UK’s Food Standards Agency (FSA) to work with the government to propose a ban on per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) in food packaging.
2. EU Commission faces pressure to harmonise rules on FCMs
12 September 2019
Member states, industry and NGOs have called for full harmonisation of EU-wide controls on hazardous chemicals in food contact materials.
A key stakeholder workshop, hosted by consultant Ecorys in Brussels on Monday, saw the final chance for input into the EU executive’s evaluation of the regulation, which has not been updated in more than 40 years.
3. Denmark to ban all PFAS in paper and board food packaging
4 September 2019
Denmark is to go ahead with a proposed ban on all organic fluorinated compounds in paper and cardboard food packaging materials in advance of EU-wide action, the country's Ministry of Environment and Food has said.
4. US FDA sued over rejected perchlorate FCM petition
30 October 2019
A group of six NGOs has filed a lawsuit against the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) over the agency’s denial of their petition to ban the use of perchlorate in food packaging.
5. California narrows field of food contact substances for possible SCP action
20 October 2019
California’s Department of Toxic Substances Control (DTSC) has identified four groups of chemicals used in food packaging as potential candidates for nomination as priority products under its Safer Consumer Products programme.
6. NGOs push FDA to pull approval of PFASs in food packaging
8 October 2019
Two NGOs have called on the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA) to revoke its approval of all per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFASs) for use in food contact applications.
7. China consults on the approval of four new food contact substances
11 December 2019
China’s National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment is consulting on accepting four substances for use in food contact materials (FCMs), as well as expanding the allowable uses for three existing ones. It began a consultation on 25 November, which will end on 25 December.
8. China making 'significant changes' to draft FCM adhesives standard
20 November 2019
China’s CFSA will issue a second draft of an adhesives standard for food contact materials (FCMs) for public comment next year after making "significant changes", a government official told delegates yesterday at Chemical Watch’s Regulatory Summit Asia in Kuala Lumpur.
9. Japan proposes synthetic resins migration limit for FCMs
22 October 2019
Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has proposed a migration limit of 0.01 milligrams per kilogram for synthetic resins that are not approved for use in food contact materials. These are defined as substances not included on the country’s positive list.
10. Mercosur regulation lists permitted additives in plastics for FCMs
7 August 2019
The South American trading bloc, Mercosur, has published a technical regulation, listing the permitted additives for the manufacture of plastic materials and polymer coatings in food contact materials.
To get completely up to date with all the latest developments from the food contact sector, join us at one of our upcoming food contact regulation conferences:
- Food Contact Regulations Europe, 11-12 February, Brussels – Register here
- Food Contact Regulations USA, 9-10 March, Washington, DC – Register here