EU Introduces Further Restrictions on BPA in Food Contact Materials and Articles

On February 14, 2018, the EU published new regulations to strengthen its restrictions on BPA in food contact materials and articles. End Quote

(1888PressRelease) March 03, 2018 - The European Union (EU) has published Regulation (EU) 2018/213; strengthening its requirements for bisphenol A (BPA) in ‘food contact plastics’ and ‘food contact varnished or coated products’.

The new regulations contain several important changes, including:

• BPA migration limit is strengthened from 0.6 mg/kg to less than or equal to 0.05 mg/kg in food contact plastics – a 12-fold increase
• New restriction for BPA in food contact varnished and coated materials and articles
• New prohibition for BPA in food contact varnished or coated materials and articles for infants and young children for food categories falling under Regulation (EU) 609/2013. These categories of food are:
o Baby food
o Follow-on formula
o Food for special medical purposes
o Infant formula
o Milk-based drinks
o Processed cereal-based food
o Products similar to those mentioned above that are specifically for young children
• Declaration of Conformity (DoC) required for food contact varnished or coated materials and articles – content of DoC can be found in Annex I to Regulation (EU) 2018/213
• Upon request by the authorities, supporting documentation such as test results or other pieces of evidence are to be made available to demonstrate compliance with the DoC

Stakeholders should also note:
• There is no change on the prohibition of BPA in polycarbonate infant feeding bottles
• ‘Food contact plastics’ and ‘food contact varnished, or coated materials and articles’ legally placed on the market before September 6, 2018, can remain on sale until stocks are exhausted

The latest regulation was published on February 14, 2018 and will come into effect on September 6, 2018. Stakeholders are advised to check their products comply with the latest EU regulations for BPA in food contact products.

SGS Home Furnishings & Houseware Services
SGS’s technical experts have extensive experience of testing materials and articles in contact with food. They can ensure that your products meet the appropriate regulations for food contact materials and pave the way for compliance. SGS offers the full range of testing, including migration tests, along with expert advice on emerging regulations, compliance issues and documentation review. Learn more about SGS’s Home Furnishings & Houseware Services. [www.sgs.com/en/consumer-goods-retail/hardgoods/home-furnishings-and-houseware]

SGS SafeGuardS keep you up to date with the latest news and developments in the consumer goods industry. Read the full EU Strengthens BPA Restrictions in Food Contact Materials and Articles SafeGuardS. [www.sgs.com/en/news/2018/02/safeguards-02118-eu-strengthens-bpa-restrictions-in-food-contact-materials-and-articles]

Subscribe here, www.sgs.com/subscribesg, to receive SGS SafeGuardS direct to your inbox.

For further information contact:

Hing Wo Tsang Ph.D
Global Information and Innovation Manager
Tel:(+852) 2774 7420
Email: crs.media ( @ ) sgs dot com
Website: www.sgs.com/hardlines

About SGS
SGS is the world’s leading inspection, verification, testing and certification company. SGS is recognized as the global benchmark for quality and integrity. With more than 95,000 employees, SGS operates a network of over 2,400 offices and laboratories around the world.

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