Eurofins | June 2019 regulatory Newsflash compilation | Food Contact Materials

Europe

Updated guidance for paper and board in food contact with food

Nowadays, a specific harmonized EU measure which regulates food contact paper and board does not exist. For this reason the European paper and board manufacturers have released an updated guidance document on how to meet safety standards for this kind of materials. This document provides information on methodology, requirements and testing for compliance. The following entities have participated in the preparation of these voluntary guidelines:

• Confederation of European Paper Industries (CEPI)
• Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment
• Cepi ContainerBoard
• International Confederation of Paper and Board Converters in Europe (CITPA)
• European Tissue Symposium
• European Carton Makers Association
• European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers (FEFCO).

Click here for getting the industry guideline from the CEPI website: Food Contact Guidelines for the Compliance of Paper and Board Materials and Articles.

Proposal to add 12 SVHCs to REACH Annex XIV-Authorisation List

On 24^th April 2019, the European Commission opened a public consultation on the proposal to add 12 substances of very high concern (SVHCs) to Annex XIV- authorization list of the EU REACH legislation. EU Commission announces that the planned addition of 12 substances to the REACH Authorization List would be done by October 2019.

Below a summary table with the substances that would be added in Annex XIV to Regulation (EC) No 1907/2006:

The public consultation was closed on 22^nd May 2019.

For more information click here.

Recent publications by the European Commission

Below some recent publications by the European Commission (not exhaustive list):

Standards Updates

Below a summary table with some recent standards updates and upcoming dates of withdrawal (non-exhaustive):

(*) Date of withdrawal: latest date by which national standards conflicting with an EN (and HD for CENELEC) have to be withdrawn.

Draft texts notified to the European Commission

The following draft document has been recently notified to European Commission:

France

New list of first designated points of introduction Kitchenware

In April 2019, DGCCRF (Direction générale de la concurrence, de la consommation et de la répression des fraudes) published information about import controls on polyamide and melamine kitchen utensils coming from China and Hong Kong, that  fall within the scope of Regulation (EU) No 284/2011.

Click here for further information from economie.gouv.fr website.

US

Guidance for substances in contact infant formula

On 9^th May 2019, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) published the guidance for Industry about Preparation of Food Contact Notifications for Food Contact Substances in Contact with Infant Formula and/or Human Milk in Federal Register.

This document is intended to help manufacturers or suppliers in the preparation of  food contact notification (safety assessment) for substances that can be in infant formula packaging for both liquid and powdered formula, baby bottles, bottle inserts, nipples, and any others materials.

Click here for getting the FDA’s Guidance.

US | New York

New York Passed Plastic Bag Ban

Recently, New York’s single-use plastic bag ban was signed into law and will take effect on March 1, 2020.

This new law prohibits most single-use plastic carry-out bags with following exemptions:

• Bags solely used to wrap uncooked meat, fish, or poultry.
• Bags used by a customer solely to package bulk items such as fruits and vegetables.
• Bags used solely to contain food sliced or prepared to order.
• Trash bags.
• Food storage bags.
• Bags for carryout or delivered food.

Now New York is the third State to ban single-use plastic bags statewide. California was the first state to enact single-use plastic bags ban in late 2016. And Hawaii has a de facto statewide ban because single-use plastic bags are prohibited in all of its most populous counties.

Click here for more information about New York’s ban from New York State website.

On the other hand, New Jersey has introduced an amendment to include paper bags in the bill S2776 which prohibits carryout bags made of plastic film, polystyrene foam food service products, and single-use plastic straws. It also assesses fee on paper carryout bags.

US | Maine

Ban of polystyrene disposable food service containers

In April, Maine signed a Bill into law, which prohibits the selling or distribution in the State of disposable food service containers composed in whole or in part of polystyrene foam. Restaurants, caterers, coffee shops and grocery stores are not allowed to use this type of disposable foam containers because they cannot be recycled. It will go into effect on January 1, 2021.

Seattle, Washington, Berkeley, California, and New York City have already implemented similar polystyrene bans and other States such as Vermont, Colorado, Oregon, and New Jersey,  are working on similar restrictions for this type of material.

Click here for further information.

South Korea

Risk Assessment for Food Contact Materials and others

On 17^th April 2019, South Korea’s Ministry of Food and Drug Safety published the notification "Regulations on Risk Assessment Methods and Procedures, etc." to evaluate risk by taking into consideration the effects of harmful substances that can be ingested, inhaled and absorbed through various products such as food, medicine, and cosmetics, and to prepare risk assessment methods and procedures for medicines and medical devices. The aim is to complete comprehensive risk assessments by 2022 for 60 hazardous substances that come into contact with the body. The assessments are set to begin on July 1, 2019.

Click here for getting the official publication (in Korean).