EU Updates Regulations for Food Contact Plastics to Enhance Safety and Sustainability

On February 24, 2025, the European Union released regulation (EU) 2025/351, amending existing laws related to food contact plastics and recycled plastic materials. This new regulation, which will come into effect on March 16, 2025, revokes the outdated recycled plastic regulation (EC) No 282/2008 and introduces several critical updates aimed at improving safety and sustainability in the industry.

Key revisions include adjustments to the definitions and requirements for "high purity" substances in food contact materials under regulation (EU) No 10/2011. The new definition clarifies that high purity materials must contain only trace amounts of unintended additives and must not exceed specified migration limits into food.

The regulation also emphasizes the use of substances from the EU authorized list for manufacturing food contact plastics, while detailing conditions for using non-listed substances in compliance with national laws. Additionally, it introduces stricter labeling requirements for reusable food contact products and mandates comprehensive documentation for manufacturers.

For recycled plastics, regulation (EU) 2022/1616 will now ensure compliance with the updated standards, reinforcing the need for quality control in the recycling process. This includes stipulations for the quality assurance of recycling facilities and the prevention of contamination throughout the recycling chain.

Transition measures are also outlined, allowing products compliant with previous regulations to be sold until September 16, 2026, ensuring a smooth transition to the new standards. Companies must closely monitor these changes, particularly regarding material selection and compliance documentation, to align with the stringent new regulations.