On December 19, 2024, the European Commission formally adopted a regulation banning the use of bisphenol A (BPA) and other bisphenol substances harmful to the reproductive and endocrine systems in food contact materials.
BPA is a common chemical raw material widely used in the production of plastic products, resins, coatings, paints and thermal paper, etc. It is often used in the manufacture of food-contact materials, such as plastic tableware containers and coatings for the inner walls of cans. However, as research into the toxicological properties and health risks of BPA has continued, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has repeatedly lowered the Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) for BPA, and in April 2023, the EFSA issued an Opinion based on the “potentially harmful effects on the immune system” that lowered the TDI to only 0.2 nanograms per kilogram of body weight, concluding that the current level of exposure poses a risk to consumers of all age groups. In April 2023, EFSA issued an opinion letter lowering the TDI to only 0.2 nanograms per kilogram of body weight based on “potential harmful effects on the immune system,” and concluded that the current level of BPA exposure poses a risk to consumers in all age groups.
The ban means that BPA will be completely banned in the EU region for use in food contact materials and products, including coatings on metal cans and kitchen utensils, reusable plastic beverage bottles, adhesives, and more. To facilitate the industry's adaptation, the regulations set an 18-month transition period for finished products, with limited exemptions granted in rare and exceptional cases where alternatives are not available to give the industry time to adapt and avoid disruption to the food supply chain.
The EU policy on the control of BPA in food contact materials has gone through a process of gradual tightening. In 2007, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) published its first risk assessment of BPA.In January 2011, the EU banned the use of BPA in the production of polycarbonate baby bottles; in September 2018, it banned the use of BPA in plastic bottles and packaging used for food for infants and children under the age of three years, setting stricter limits for BPA in plastic food contact materials and extending these limits to coated materials; in January 2020, BPA was banned in thermal paper receipts under REACH; in July 2023, the European Commission proposed a total ban on the use of BPA in food contact materials; in February 2024, the European Commission issued a draft regulation banning the use of BPA in food contact materials and products; and in June 2024, EU member states agreed to the BPA ban; by December 19, 2024, the Commission formally adopted the ban.
Oliver Várhelyi, EU Commissioner for Health and Animal Welfare, said, “Maintaining high standards of food safety in the EU to protect our citizens is one of the Commission's most important priorities. This is a ban based on scientific advice that will protect our consumers from harmful chemicals they may be exposed to in food and drink.”
All manufacturers of food contact materials involved in the business of exporting to Europe should actively adjust and dispose of their inventory of products containing BPA. Meanwhile, for newly manufactured or sold products, they need to follow the latest regulatory requirements to ensure product compliance.
