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EU Officially Adopts Ban on BPA in All Food Contact Materials

On December 19, the European Commission officially adopted a ban on the use of Bisphenol A (BPA) in food contact materials due to its potential harms to human health. The ban also includes other bisphenols that are harmful to the reproductive and endocrine systems.

Following an 18-month phase-out period, BPA will no longer be allowed in any products that come into contact with food or drink, such as the coating on metal cans, reusable plastic drink bottles, water distribution coolers, kitchenware, and food processing equipment. A few, very limited exceptions will be made to the 18-month transition period in cases where no BPA alternatives exist, to avoid supply chain disruption and give industry more time to adapt.

Prior to the adoption of this sweeping ban, the chemical was already prohibited for use in infant bottles and similar products in the EU.

The Commission’s decision to ban BPA is based on an April 2023 reassessment of the health risks posed by dietary exposure to BPA, which underlined harmful effects to the immune system and established a tolerable daily intake (TDI) for the chemical that is 20,000 times lower than what was previously established. According to experts, EFSA’s most recent risk assessment for BPA included nonstandard studies that are not traditionally considered for assessments of this type—an approach that the scientific community non-unanimously lauded as more modern and comprehensive.

In June 2024, the ban received a positive vote by an EU Member States committee, and, after a scrutiny period, the Council and the European Parliament agreed to adopt the ban.

Recognizing that a ban on BPA will lead to a rise in the use of alternative chemicals, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is investigating methods for assessing the risk of BPA alternatives. EFSA has published a study that advances genotoxicity assessment methods for chemicals used as BPA alternatives in combination with developing new advanced models (NAMs), laying the groundwork for potential Organization for Economic Cooperation and Development (OECD) Test Guideline development and regulatory readiness.

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Bailee Henderson is the Director of Content Strategy for Food Safety Magazine. In the day-to-day, she covers industry-relevant current events, regulatory affairs, and scientific developments. She also produces the Food Safety Five Newsreel and edits the twice-weekly Food Safety Digest newsletter. Notably, Bailee's coverage for Food Safety Magazine has been featured in national televised news segments including CBS Sunday Morning and MSNBC's Rachel Maddow Show. She can be reached at hendersonb@bnpmedia.com.