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Between July and September 2026, new EU regulations significantly reshaped compliance for food contact materials (FCM). Key changes include a full ban on bisphenol A in single-use FCM, PPWR restrictions limiting PFAS in food packaging, updated purity rules for plastic FCM, and formal PET bottle recycled-content calculation guidelines including chemical recycling. Exporters must now back every shipment with updated Declarations of Conformity, mandatory BPA test reports (1 µg/kg detection limit), and documented PFAS screenings. Furthermore, recent RASFF data highlights bisphenol S, mineral oil, formaldehyde, and primary aromatic amine migrations as top compliance risks requiring routine testing.

China’s mandatory national food safety standards GB 4806.10-2025 (coatings and coated layers) and GB 4806.16-2025 (silicone rubber) took effect on September 2, 2026. The new standards introduce strict requirements, including limits on primary aromatic amines and volatile substances, requiring affected companies to immediately ensure full regulatory compliance.

The EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40), will become mandatorily applicable across the entire EU from August 12, 2026, replacing the 94/62/EC Directive that has been in force for nearly 30 years. PPWR is upgraded into a directly applicable regulation and it imposes full-chain requirements on all packaging placed on the EU marke

On 12 August 2026, the EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR, Regulation (EU) 2025/40) will become fully mandatory. This is not a "recommendatory" guidance document. It is a regulation with direct legal force, uniformly applicable to all EU Member States. From that date onwards, packaging that fails to meet requirements – including excessive heavy metals, non-compliant PFAS levels, incomplete EPR registration, or missing mandatory labels – may face product delisting, customs detention, heavy fines, or even exclusion from the EU market.

As a fundamental chemical used in the production of polycarbonate plastics and epoxy resins, Bisphenol A (BPA, CAS No.: 80-05-7) is extensively utilized in plastic additives, coatings, and various other products. However, its endocrine-disrupting properties, reproductive toxicity, and potential immunological and developmental toxicities have raised health concerns. BPA can migrate into the human body through food contact materials and everyday items, posing significant risks, particularly to infants, pregnant women, and immunocompromised groups. Consequently, BPA has been included in the global regulatory focus list for stringent control.

On January 22, 2025, the European Union officially published the Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (EU) 2025/40, also known as PPWR. This regulation will fully replace the existing Directive 94/62/EC on August 12, 2026, becoming the primary EU legislation for the management of packaging and packaging waste.

Recently, the health risks associated with Bisphenol A (BPA) have once again garnered widespread public attention. As a professional testing organization, CIRS Testing is here to provide an in-depth interpretation of the potential hazards of BPA and how to effectively prevent exposure in daily life based on our research practices and updates on relevant regulations.