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EU bans bisphenol-A in food contact materials
Since 20 January 2025, EU Regulation 2024/3190 has imposed a far-reaching Europe-wide ban on bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials and articles.
PC can no longer be used for food contact materials in future
BPA was previously used mainly in polycarbonate (PC) and epoxy resins. It is considered an endocrine disruptor and can affect development, fertility and the risk of certain diseases.
PC can be used in consumer goods, for example in reusable drink bottles, household appliances or kitchen utensils. The BPA ban now means that PC can generally no longer be used as a raw material for food contact applications.
Our services: Alternative Masterbatch Development
If your product is affected by this ban and you are developing alternative applications, we are happy to assist you in finding a new suitable masterbatch.
For further information please contact or call our customer service team: +49 9571 789-0
Transition periods & exemptions
The regulation applies uniformly in all EU member states. Transitional periods have been set depending on the intended use: A period of 18 months applies to single-use products, while permanently installed components may continue to be used in commercial food production for up to 36 months. There is an exception for polysulfone membranes used in food processing, as there are no alternative solutions here and the release of BPA is considered harmless.
History
The EU had already taken gradual measures against BPA in the past: it was banned from baby bottles in 2011, from thermal paper in 2016 and far-reaching restrictions on containers and coatings were adopted in 2018.
The current ban is based on an opinion from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) from April 2023, according to which BPA poses a significant health risk, which is why the permitted daily intake has been drastically reduced to 0.2 ng/kg body weight - a value that is 20,000 times lower than the limit that applied in 2015.
As alternative substances are likely to be used more frequently in the future, EFSA is currently also examining their potential risks.