EU updates list of plastics and plastic products that come into contact with food
On 20 October 2009, the Official Journal of the European Union published Regulation 975/2009, amending European Commission Directive 2002/72/EC. Directive 2002/72/EC aimed to regulate plastics and plastic products that come into contact with food.
Directive 2002/72/EC lists a list of monomers and other reactive substances that can be used in the manufacture of plastics and plastic products that come into contact with food. Furthermore, Directive 2002/72/EC restricts the use of monomers and other reactive substances and establishes rules regarding labeling and providing consumers or food operators with information on the proper use of these materials and items. The directive also includes a list of additives that can be used in the manufacture of plastics and plastic products. Other monomers, reactive substances, and additives may be added to the existing list upon approval by the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
Directive 2002/72/EC does not include the following products:
- 光面及非光面再生纖維素膜(varnished or unvarnished regenerated cellulose film)
- 彈性體、天然及合成橡膠(elastomers and natural and synthetic rubber)
- 添加或未添加塑料的紙及紙板(paper and paperboard, whether modified or not by the addition of plastics)
- 表面含蠟塗層(surface coatings obtained from waxes)
- 離子交換樹脂(ion-exchange resins)
- 矽膠(silicones)
- 含兩層或兩層以上的原料及成品，其中最少一層不含塑料(materials and articles composed of two or more layers, of which at least one does not consist of plastics)
The list of substances and products permitted for use in contact with food includes:
- Monomers and other reactive substances that can be used to manufacture plastics and plastic products (listed in Annex 2 of Regulation 975/2009).
- It can be used as an additive in the manufacture of plastics and plastic products (listed in Annex 3 of Regulation No. 975/2009).
Annexes 2 and 3 list the specific conditions of use for the above substances and the upper limits of specific leaching limits (in mg/kg) for food. For containers with a capacity of less than 500 ml or more than 10 liters, the specific leaching limit is indicated in mg/dm² of the packaging surface area.
Regulation 975/2009 also contains a list of additives that manufacturers can use to produce products. Therefore, the revised list will officially become the EU's list of permitted additives from January 1, 2010. Until December 31, 2009, businesses could still use additives not listed in the list, in accordance with the laws of individual member states.
Directive 2002/72/EC and the most recently amended Regulation 975/2009 are available at the following websites:
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=CONSLEG:2002L0072:20070420:EN:PDF；
http://eur-lex.europa.eu/LexUriServ/LexUriServ.do?uri=OJ:L:2009:274:0003:0008:EN:PDF
- Reference source: Hong Kong Trade Development Council website, 2009-10-30
