Eurofins | April 2019 regulatory Newsflash compilation | Food Contact Materials
Public consultation about phthalates used in food contact materials
On 21st February 2019, European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) launched a public consultation on EFSA's draft assessment of five phthalates used in plastic food contact materials.
The aim is to update and replace the actual risk assessments for the following phthalates in plastic food contact materials:
- Di-butylphthalate (DBP)
- Butyl-benzyl-phthalate (BBP)
- Bis(2-ethylhexyl)phthalate (DEHP)
- -Di-isononylphthalate (DINP)
- Di-isodecylphthalate (DIDP)
The deadline for comments is 14th April 2019.
Deadline for comments on phthalates to update Annex XIV to REACH
12th March 2019 was the deadline for comments for draft recommendation on four phthalates and their endocrine disrupting properties by ECHA (European Chemical Agency).
The aim is to update Annex XIV (Authorisation List) to REACH Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006 concerning the following four phthalates to include their endocrine disrupting properties:
- Bis (2-ethylhexyl) phthalate (DEHP No. CE204-211-0, CAS No. 117-81-7)
- Dibutylphthalate (DBP, EC No. 201-557-4, CAS No. 84-74-2)
- Benzylbutylphthalate (BBP, CE No. 201-622-7, CAS No. 85-68-7)
- Diisobutylphthalate (DIBP, no. CE201-553-2, CAS84-69-5)
Some previously exempted uses may require an application for authorization following this update of Annex XIV. The public consultation targets, in particular, the operators concerned by these uses, namely: use in mixtures between 0.1 and 0.3%, use in materials in contact with foodstuffs or in medical devices.
Guidance on mineral oils in food contact materials
On 23th February 2019, EU Commission’s Joint Research Centre published the “Guidance on sampling, analysis and data reporting for the monitoring of mineral oil hydrocarbons in food and food contact materials” in the frame of Commission Recommendation (EU) 2017/84. It has been prepared by the Task Force on Mineral Oil established by the European Union Reference Laboratory for Food Contact Materials (EURL-FCM).
The aim of this document is to provide information to harmonise standards (sampling and analysis) and generate reliable results for mineral oil saturated hydrocarbons (MOSH) and mineral oil aromatic hydrocarbons (MOAH) in food and food contact materials.
Click here for getting the guidance document from European Commission website.
Consultation on household waste measures
On 18th February 2019, UK Department for Environment Food & Rural Affairs (Defra) opened a consultation on Consistency in Household and Business Recycling Collections in England.
The main of points of this consultation are:
- Implementation of a system where 100% cost of collection will be paid by packaging producers
- Implementation of a recycled content threshold tax for April 2022
- A strategy on waste collection (types of waste and frequency of collection)
- A new national plastic bottle return scheme
The deadline for comments is 13th May 2019.
National Pact on plastic packaging
On 21st February 2019, the French authorities published the National Pact on plastic packaging between the Government, French companies and NGOs.
All signatories subscribe to a common vision of the circular economy in which plastic, major source of pollution, never becomes a waste.
The aim of this pact is to reduce marine pollution and adopt more sustainable patterns of consumption and production.
Click here for getting the official publication (in French).
