On May 7-8, 2018, regulatory news provider Chemical Watch hosted its first conference on European food contact regulations in Brussels, Belgium. During the first day, speakers from authorities, industry, and non-governmental organizations (NGOs) shared their knowledge on the assessment of printed food contact materials (FCMs) as well as general and substance-specific risk assessment issues. The second day of the conference featured the EU policy on chemicals, the circular economy, and the role of regulators; the day was closed with a session on global food contact regulations.
Leonor Garcia presented industry association PlasticsEurope’s voluntary commitment to reuse and recycle 60% of all plastic packaging by 2030, and to reuse, recyle and/or recover 100% of all plastic packaging by 2040 (FPF reported). Birgit Geueke from the Food Packaging Forum gave an overview on how reduction, reuse, and recycling of food packaging could be applied to support the aims of the circular economy. She stressed chemical safety aspects of food packaging made of recycled plastics, paper and board, multilayer materials, metal and glass. Michael Warhurst, executive director of NGO CHEM Trust, summarized the status of the EU regulation on FCMs, emphasizing gaps and chemical challenges. He concluded that “we need protective, EU harmonized, independent regulation of all chemicals in food contact applications.”
Read more
Chemical Watch (2018): “Food Contact Regulations Europe 2018.”
Michael Warhurst (May 7, 2018). “EU regulation of chemicals in Food Contact Materials: Outdated, ineffective – and full of holes.” CHEM Trust (pdf)
Nick Hazlewood (May 14, 2018). “EU regulation of FCMs ‘outdated and full of holes.’” Chemical Watch
