The European Plastics Distributors Association (EPDA, Salisbury / UK; www.epda.com) has welcomed the EU’s new legislation on plastics that come into contact with food and is urging its members to comply. The regulation is designed to protect consumers from potential contamination by the plastics used in food products.

Directive EU 10/2011, which is binding in all member states, applies to food-contact materials and article, as well as their parts made from plastic. This includes printed or coated plastic multi-layer materials and articles held together by adhesives; plastic layers or plastic coatings forming gaskets in caps and closures; and plastic layers in multi-material, multi-layer materials and articles.

The EPDA said many of its members have been working to these standards prior to the legislation becoming legally enforceable, and have invested significant time and money to ensure their plastic products used in food production are certified and fully compliant.

Members including Quadrant Engineering Plastic Products (Quadrant EPP, Lenzburg / Switzerland; www.quadrantplastics.com), Ensinger (Nufringen / Germany; www.ensinger-online.com) and Zell-Metall Engineering Plastics (Kaprun / Austria; www.zellamid.com) have already ensured they are certified and in compliance with the new rules.

The EPDA concluded by reassuring food processors that they will receive a safe supply of food-grade plastic materials with excellent traceability and reliability when buying from certified Europe firms.