The European Commission launched work on a draft proposal to phase out the use of the chemical Bisphenol A in food contact materials, including plastic boxes, protective coatings for cans and food processing equipment, Euractiv reported.
The proposal came after scientific advice from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA), which concluded in April 2023 that current levels of exposure to bisphenol A (BPA) posed a health risk to consumers.
EFSA determined the tolerated daily intake (TDI) – the amount of a substance in food that is considered safe for humans – at 0.2 nanograms per kilogram (ng/kg) of body weight, which is 20,000 times lower than the pre-set TDI of 4 µg/kg recommended in the previous 2015 opinion.
The public consultation began on 8 February and will run until 9 March, after which the Commission will submit the legislative proposal to member states for approval.
The proposed ban would apply to food and beverage cans, kitchen utensils, tableware and food contact items used in professional food production. The adverse health effects of Bisphenol A via food have been suspected since the late 1990s.
The EU has banned its use in polycarbonate baby bottles since 2011, banned its use in thermal receipt paper in 2016, and in 2018 imposed further restrictions on its use in drinking bottles and containers for infants and children, paints and coatings.
Belgium, Sweden, Denmark and France have imposed additional restrictions on BPA products.
The EU Environment Agency drew attention to the issue of bisphenol A in September 2023, stating that public exposure to the chemical is “well above” acceptable safety levels.
BPA is one of three Bisphenols identified by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA) as endocrine disruptors and a “substance of very high concern.”
EFSA published its scientific opinion on 19 April 2023. In response, the European Medicines Agency (EMA) published a report on the same day emphasising a “divergent opinion” with EFSA’s conclusions on the revision of the TDI, as “the agencies make use of different assessment tools.”
According to the scientific opinion of the German Federal Institute for Risk Assessment (BfR), “EFSA lowered the TDI primarily based on observations in studies in mice” and “the relevance of the results to human health is questionable.”
