The World Trade Organization (WTO) has
circulated two notifications signaling Mercosur’s intention to revise its
technical regulations for food contact plastic materials and articles.
The two notifications were submitted by
Paraguay and circulated by the WTO in July 2020. They cover two pieces of draft
legislation:
- Mercosur/LXXII
SGT No. 3/P Resolution No. 2/20 (draft Resolution No. 02/20) – attached to WTO
document number 20-5191 - Mercosur/LXXII
SGT No. 3/P Resolution No. 3/20 (draft Resolution No. 03/20), attached to WTO
document number 20-5192
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If/when approved, Resolution No. 2/20 will
revise sections 5 and 7 of the Annex to GMC Resolution No. 56/92 – General
provisions for food contact plastics. It will change the overall migration
limits and their requirements:
- Food
contact plastics – no more than 10 mg/dm² - Food
contact plastics with a defined volume or for children under the age of 3 – no
more than 60 mg/kg
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It also only allows colorants and pigments
that meet a specific Mercosur Technical Regulation
If/when approved, Resolution No. 3/20 will
revise GMC Resolution No. 2/12 – Positive list of monomers, other starting
substances and polymers authorized for the manufacture of food contact
plastics. Among the provisions in the draft are the addition of 19 new
substances and amendments to several others. The specific migration
requirements include:
- Primary
aromatic amines, simulant B (3% acetic acid) – no more than 0.01 mg/kg (sum
total) - Bisphenol
A (BPA) – no more than 0.05 mg/kg
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Metals
- Aluminium – no more than 1 mg/kg
- Barium –
no more than 1 mg/kg - Cobalt –
no more than 0.05 mg/kg - Copper –
no more than 5 mg/kg - Iron – no
more than 48 mg/kg - Lithium –
no more than 0.6 mg/kg - Manganese
– no more than 0.6 mg/kg - Nickel –
no more than 0.02 mg/kg - Zinc – no
more than 5 mg/kg
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Stakeholders should be aware BPA is
prohibited for polymers in feeding bottles etc. for children under three years
of age. Also, salts, including double salts and acid salts, from approved acids,
phenols and alcohols, are approved in relation to the metals.
Mercosur is also known as the Southern
Common Market. Its members, Argentina, Brazil, Paraguay and Uruguay, are
required to adopt these resolutions into their national laws when approved.
SGS Food Contact Material Services
SGS’s technical experts have extensive experience of testing materials and
articles in contact with food. They can ensure that your products meet the
appropriate regulations for food contact materials and pave the way for
compliance. SGS offers the full range of testing, including migration tests,
along with expert advice on emerging regulations, compliance issues and
documentation review. Learn more
about SGS’s Food
Contact Material Services.
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Proposes to Revise Requirements for Food Contact Plastics SafeGuardS.
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