A whopping 12,285 chemicals can be used in the processing of food contact materials and for more than a quarter of them no hazard information is available, according to the first global publicly accessible database released by HEAL (Health and Environment Alliance), on Monday 30 November. This database was compiled by independent researchers and is accompanied by a peer-reviewed scientific article.
“This database confirms that critical safety data are missing for regulatory assessments, and therefore it points to the urgent need to upgrade the European regulatory framework for food contact materials. The implementation of the recently agreed Chemicals Strategy for sustainability (see EUROPE 12581/6 and the forthcoming revision of the regulation must address these issues”, says Natacha Cingotti, HEAL’s Senior Policy Officer on Health and Chemicals.
According to the database, of the 12,285 substances identified, 608 have properties that make them hazardous and are considered by researchers to be a priority for further evaluation and/or substitution for use in food contact materials and articles.
A further 1,411 substances are also considered to be of concern, based on the analysis of predictive hazard data such as in silico modelling or analysis of the scientific literature, and even though they are not covered by official hazard classifications at present.
The revision of the EU Regulation on food contact materials (1935/2004) is scheduled for the fourth quarter of 2022 and a first impact study should be issued by the end of the year, according to the roadmap published by the European Commission (https://bit.ly/2JqCRHq ).
To access the scientific article: https://bit.ly/36m5LkV (Original version in French by Aminata Niang)