On December 4, 2024, the European civil society organization Zero Waste Europe released an open letter addressed to the President of the European Commission, highlighting concerns over the safety of food contact materials (FCMs). The letter, endorsed by over 50 organizations, urges the European Commission to take immediate action to revise the current FCM regulation.
According to the letter, more than 70 carcinogenic substances have been identified in FCMs available on the European market (FPF reported). Furthermore, thousands of food contact chemicals (FCCs) have been detected in human samples, many of which have not been sufficiently tested, raising potential health concerns (FPF reported). These concerns contribute to public health risks and impose substantial costs on health systems (FPF reported).
The signatories advocate for an urgent revision of the FCM regulation to establish a framework that effectively protects human health. “Safety of all food contact materials, both conventional and alternative, virgin and recycled, cannot be left behind any longer,” the letter reads, calling for a defined timeline for regulatory updates.
Reference
Zero Waste Europe (December 4, 2024) “Safety of food contact materials: 20 years of inaction on EU’s basic rules.”
