Finally, the use of Bisphenol A (BpA) is officially banned in food contact materials in Europe. As always, however, the industry will have plenty of time to adapt and limited exemptions will be granted for a maximum of three years
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There has been talk for some time about a clear stance taken by the European Union regarding Bisphenol A and the long-awaited “turning point” has finally arrived. After years of debates and controversies, the European Commission has recognized the health risks linked to this substance, adopting concrete measures to eliminate it from our daily lives. What will change soon?
An important decision that comes more than ten years later than France, which had already banned Bisphenol A in baby bottles in 2009 and, since 2013, in all food containers. The EU, however, had taken the first steps in 2018, banning it only in materials intended for children under three years of age. Now the ban finally extends to all packaging.
What is Bisphenol A and why is it dangerous
Bisphenol A is a chemical substance used in the production of plastics and resins, widely used in everyday objects such as plastic bottles, internal linings of cans and food containers.
The problem is that this molecule is known for its harmful effects on the endocrine systemtherefore interferes with the natural hormonal functioning of the human organism. Studies have also highlighted how prolonged exposure to Bisphenol A can increase the risk of problems with the immune and reproductive system, compromising fertility.
Furthermore, BpA has been associated with potential negative effects on children’s brain development and an increased risk of chronic diseases such as diabetes and cardiovascular disease.
Although these dangers have been known for decades, Bisphenol A has been widely used, including in materials that come into contact with food. This is especially dangerous, since Bisphenol A can migrate into foods and, consequently, enter our body.
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Where Bisphenol A can no longer be used
Thanks to EU Regulation 2024/3190, Bisphenol A will be banned from a wide range of food contact materials. Among these we find:
The regulation also imposes restrictions on its salts and other bisphenols or derivatives identified as dangerous, such as Bisphenol S (BpS), which may be limited or prohibited in specific materials such as:
However, BpS is currently still authorized in some contexts, pending an updated toxicological evaluation which could lead to further restrictions.
The Regulation states:
Due to similarities in their chemical activities and structures, other bisphenols or bisphenol derivatives may also pose similar risks to BPA when used in materials and objects intended to come into contact with food and migrate into food. Some bisphenols have already been confirmed as having properties dangerous to human health due to their reproductive toxicity and have therefore been subject to harmonized classification and listed as such under Regulation (EC) No. 1272/2008 of the European Parliament and of the Council. These include the substance 4,4′-sulfonyldiphenol (CAS number 80-09-1) (MCA 154), commonly known as bisphenol S (‘BPS’), currently authorized for use in plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food products. In 2020, the Authority published a technical report on BPS, which did not take into account the full toxicological data set available for BPS, while it recommended the collection of data on the use of BPS in materials and articles of matter plastic intended to come into contact with food and on its presence and migration into food in the context of its possible use as an alternative to BPA. This in itself confirms the need to update the assessment of the use of BPS in materials and articles intended to come into contact with food, in particular in light of its harmonized classification as a category 1B reproductive toxicant. Further harmonized classification of bisphenols and bisphenol derivatives is likely in the future, following the identification of some of them as substances of very high concern under Regulation (EC) No. 1907/2006 of the European Parliament and of the Council and the introduction of new hazard classes for endocrine disruptors through Commission Delegated Regulation (EU) 2023/707.
When will Bisphenol A be banned?
But when will we really no longer find BPA in contact with food? The European Commission announced the measure on 19 December 2024 and the ban will officially come into force on 20 January 2025, i.e. 20 days after the publication of EU Regulation 2024/3190 in the Official Journal on 31 December 2024.
However, it will not be truly effective. We will in fact find ourselves faced with a period of transitionas frequently happens in similar circumstances, during which products already made with BPA will have to be progressively withdrawn from the market within 18 months.
The regulation also introduces limited exemptions for a maximum of three years, where technical alternatives are not yet available.
The problem of alternatives
The ban is good but the problem of alternatives still remains. Many manufacturers have already replaced Bisphenol A with other substances from the same family, such as Bisphenol B and Bisphenol Swhich according to recent studies could have similar or even more serious toxic effects. The European Chemicals Agency (Echa) and the French Agency for Health Safety have already raised the alarm about these molecules.
So, the ban on the use of Bisphenol A is ok but we must be aware that this does not completely solve the problem of toxic materials present in food packaging. The hope is that this measure is only the beginning of broader and more rigorous regulation.
