Food contact materials need stricter legislation

EU’s food contact materials legislation is up for evaluation, and last month, the EU Commission’s public consultation on the matter came to a close.

The current legislation has a whole lot of room for improvements, so naturally ChemSec took the opportunity to comment on it during the consultation.

To start with, chemicals used in food contact material do not fall under the REACH regulation, and are not managed by ECHA. Instead, the responsibility lies on EFSA – the European Food Safety Authority.

Due to this, several hazardous chemicals that have been identified as Substances of Very High Concern (SVHCs) and restricted under REACH are still allowed in food contact materials.

Naturally, this was something that ChemSec commented on.

“Chemicals that have been restricted under REACH are still allowed in food contact materials”

Substances that are restricted or phased out under the REACH regulation should, of course, be treated in the same way also when it comes to food contact materials.

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