Friday, 21 May 2021
Plastic Food Contact Materials Containing Substances Derived from Bamboo
Substances derived from bamboo e.g. ground bamboo and bamboo flour are not currently authorised for use with plastic food contact materials under Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food. A plastic food contact material is any plastic material which is intended to be brought into contact with food, already in contact with food, or could be brought into contact with food or transfer its constituents to the food under normal or foreseeable conditions of use e.g. cling film, plastic fork, zip-lock bags, sandwich boxes, ready meal tray, drinking bottle, sweet wrapper, etc.
Only substances included in the European Union list of authorised substances under Annex I of Regulation (EU) No. 10/2011 are permitted for use, with some limited exceptions. In a summary of discussions of the Expert Working Group on Food Contact Materials published in June 2020, it was concluded that when unauthorised additives derived from bamboo are used in a polymer, the resulting material is a plastic and not in compliance with Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 when placed on the EU market as a plastic food contact material. Therefore, plastic food contact materials containing bamboo fibre and other bamboo substances are not allowed to be sold or imported into Ireland.
For more information, please see our FAQ on Plastic Food Contact Materials Containing Substances Derived from Bamboo
Summary of discussions of the Expert Working Group on Food Contact Materials (June 2020)
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