Food Contact Materials and Articles - Update on issues: December 2007
Thursday 10 January 2008
This documents updates recent developments with regard to food contact materials
Establishing the positive list of plastics additives for manufacturing use
On 14 December 2007 the Standing Committee on the Food Chain and Animal Health (Toxicological Safety) gave a favourable opinion on the establishment of the positive list of additives for use in the manufacture of food contact plastics. That list will come into force on 1 January 2010. The date will be published as an amendment to Directive 2002/72/EC in the Official Journal, most likely by the end of February 2008.
Following publication of the amendment the Commission will publish the provisional list of additives that can continue to be used, subject to national law, after the establishment of the positive list until a decision is taken on their possible inclusion in the positive list of additives.
An additive will be removed from the provisional list if:
- it is included in the Community list of additives
- a decision is taken by the Commission not to include it in the Community list of additives
- during the examination of the data, the European Food Safety Authority calls for supplementary information and that information is not submitted within the specified time limits set by the Authority
Substances in the provisional list can be reviewed at any time if concerns on safety arise and they may be removed from the list if that review is unfavourable.
Adoption of Draft Commission Regulation on recycled plastic materials and articles for food contact use
Also on the 14 December 2007 the Standing Committee gave a favourable opinion on a draft Commission Regulation dealing with recycling processes for food contact plastics.
The Regulation will lay down requirements on the use of recycled plastic in food contact materials. It will also establish an authorisation procedure for recycling processes used in the manufacture of recycled food contact plastic. Finally, it will amend Commission Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 on good manufacturing practice in respect of recycled food contact plastic.
This Regulation, like the amending Directive on food contact plastics, will also most likely be published in the Official Journal by the end of February 2008.