In an article published on October 4, 2017 by regulatory news provider Chemical Watch, reporter Clelia Oziel informed that the European Commission’s (EC) proposal to ban bisphenol A (BPA, CAS 80-05-7) in food contact materials (FCMs) intended for babies and young children (FPF reported) has been extended to also include ‘sippy cups’ made of plastics. These ‘spill-proof’ cups are typically used by children aged between one to three years. The amendment to the original proposal was endorsed by the Standing Committee on Plants, Animals, Food and Feed (SC PAFF). The amended ban proposal text will now be viewed by the European Parliament and the Council for a three-month scrutiny period. The final adoption of this Regulation is expected in early 2018, Oziel explained.

The extension to include ‘sippy cups’ was undertaken in response to the comments received during a public consultation on the draft document. In particular, non-government organization CHEM Trust said that the proposed ban “did not go far enough,” and called on the EC to prohibit all BPA uses in all FCMs (FPF reported). Commenting now on the announced extension, Michael Warhurst from CHEM Trust stated that the actions undertaken by the EC with regard to BPA in FCMs are still insufficient. He further requested that “the ban should cover all bisphenols with similar properties, such as bisphenol S.” The trade body PlasticsEurope, on the contrary, characterized the EC’s proposal as a “positive science-based step to ‘resolve the distortion’ of the single market,” Oziel informed. The EC also reminded that it has mandated the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) to undertake BPA re-evaluation based on the results of new studies (FPF reported).

Read more

Clelia Oziel (October 4, 2017).  “Toddler cups added to proposed EU ban on BPA in FCMs.

Joseph James Whitworth (October 10, 2017). “EU bans BPA in packaging for 0-3 year olds.Beverage Daily

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