The ban on the sale and import of baby bottles containing bisphenol A (BPA) into the EU market will take effect on June 1, 2011. Furthermore, since March 1st of this year, manufacturers have also been prohibited from producing BPA-containing baby bottles in the EU. Consumer groups are putting increasing pressure on authorities to expand the ban to other consumer products. On March 29, 2011, the European Consumers Union (BEUC), a leading European consumer organization, issued a position statement calling on the European Commission to take further action to reduce endocrine-disrupting chemicals' exposure to humans, including expanding the scope of the BPA ban in Europe. The BEUC believes that authorities must ban BPA based on the \"precautionary principle\" to reduce BPA exposure to humans. All measures should focus on the fact that BPA can be exposed to humans from all routes and sources globally. The Union demands that BPA be included in the candidate list of the Registration, Evaluation and Authorization of Chemicals (REACH) Regulation and classified as a Substance of Very High Concern (SVHC). This move could further impact suppliers of BPA-containing products at all stages of the supply chain. The European Consumers Union has specifically requested the European Commission to ban all products that come into direct or close contact with children from containing BPA. Furthermore, if safer alternatives become available, all products should be prohibited from using BPA within two to three years. The following are BPA-containing consumer products of particular concern to the Alliance:
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\u2022 Cans for beverages and food, plastic kitchen knives and microwave-safe ceramic containers;
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\u2022 Electronic devices with plastic casings, such as coffee machines;
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\u2022 Storage media, such as CDs, DVDs and Blu-ray discs;
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\u2022 Cash receipts printed on thermal paper;
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\u2022 Fillers and sealing materials used in dentistry;
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\u2022 Leisure equipment, such as surfboards and tennis rackets;
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\u2022 Medical devices;
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\u2022 Building materials, such as flooring materials, fillers and adhesives;
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\u2022 Paints and polishes; and
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\u2022 Plastic protective covers for pacifiers.
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The recent opposition from Sweden to the use of BPA in consumer products is also worth noting for Hong Kong traders. On April 15, 2011, the Swedish Chemicals Agency and the Swedish National Food Agency published a \"BPA - Government Work Report,\" recommending several measures to clarify scientific doubts surrounding BPA and prevent children from being exposed to it. Recommended measures included taking appropriate action under the Chemicals Registration, Evaluation and Authorization Regulations and replacing BPA-containing thermal paper with BPA-free alternatives. The Swedish Chemicals Agency was more cautious than the European Consumers Union. The report stated that, based on current understanding of BPA, there was insufficient evidence to prove that BPA posed a serious risk to human health, and \"there is no compelling reason to support a widespread ban or restriction on the use of BPA.\" Nevertheless, the Swedish Chemicals Agency has recommended several measures to address public concerns about the impact of BPA. These measures include: \u2022 Requiring Swedish food and packaging manufacturers and importers to submit plans by the end of 2011 to replace existing epoxy materials with BPA-free materials;\n\u2022 Promoting the replacement of BPA-containing thermal paper with safer materials;\n\u2022 Testing the BPA content of plastics in toys and children's items according to EU standards;\n\u2022 Studying the feasibility of establishing labeling requirements for newborn care medical devices under EU law.\n\u2022 Since the Danish government banned the addition of BPA to plastic materials that come into contact with children's food, the EU has been closely monitoring the use of BPA since 2010. In July 2010, France also announced a ban on the production, import, export, and placement of BPA-containing baby bottles on the market.\n\u2022 These developments led the European Commission to adopt the \"precautionary principle\" and ban BPA-containing baby bottles at the EU level. However, the large-scale actions recently taken by the EU have failed to dispel the concerns of consumer groups and some EU countries. Hong Kong companies must pay close attention to further developments, as EU authorities may introduce further measures to restrict the use of bisphenol A. \u2014Source: Hong Kong Trade Development Council (HKTDC)<\/p>","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"
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