The Japanese Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) has published a request for nominations for “existing substances” be included on the Positive List (PL) of “synthetic resins” for food-contact materials (FCMs) with corresponding submission forms. “Existing substances” include those marketed or used for food-contact utensils, containers and packages (UCP) in Japan prior to the effective date for the PL (i.e., June 1, 2020). The deadline for filing such nominations is October 30, 2020.
The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) Standardization Organization (GSO) has requested comments on a Draft Standard on Polyethylene Bags For Food Packaging Applications, GSO 1193/2020, that will replace GSO 1194/2002, “Methods of Testing Polyethylene Bags for Food Packaging Applications.”
The China National Light Industry Council (CNLIC) published the Guidance on Classification and Labeling of Degradable Plastic Products on September 8, 2020. This industrial association’s Guidance is in response to the Notice on Further Enhancing Plastic Pollution Control in January 2020. (For more information on that Notice, see the PackagingLaw.com article, China Continues Efforts to Ban and Limit Use of Plastic Products.)
China’s Ministry of Commerce (MOC) published a Notice, titled, Further Strengthening Plastic Pollution Control in Business Fields, on August 31. The Notice stipulates that local authorities shall facilitate the establishment of a centralized purchase and sale system for shopping bags in grocery markets.
The 15th amendment to the Plastics Regulation (Regulation (EU) 2020/1245) was published in the Official Journal of the European Union on September 3, 2020. The 15th amendment adds new substances to the positive list in Annex I, in addition to introducing several substantive changes to the Plastics Regulation. Some of the significant changes are listed below.
On July 20, Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare (MHLW) published draft Lists of Existing Substances with proposed revisions to Appended Table 1 of MHLW Notification No. 370, the Positive List (PL) of substances used in synthetic resins for utensils, containers and packaging (UCP). The draft Lists can be accessed from MHLW’s website.
The European Food Safety Authority issued a scientific opinion that designates salicylic acid (FCM 121); styrene (FCM 193); and lauric acid, vinyl ester (FCM 436) as high priority candidates for re-evaluation. The scientific opinion was issued in response to a request from the European Commission (EC) to review the substances that are not assigned a specific migration limit (SML) in the Plastics Regulation, (EU) No 10/2011. These substances were covered by the generic SML of 60 mg/kg of food but that SML was removed under Regulation (EU) 2016/1416.
The British Plastics Federation (BPF) — in conjunction with the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF) — developed guidelines on recycled content in plastic packaging. The guidelines, titled, Recycled Content Used In Plastic Packaging Applications, were designed for companies that intend to use recycled plastic content in food, drink, cosmetic, and pharmaceutical packaging, as well as for policymakers.