2026 marks a watershed year for Food Contact Material (FCM) compliance in the European Union. The new plastics regulation is now in force, and the requirements on Non-Intentionally Added Substances (NIAS) and on the purity of starting substances have become legally binding. Since 16 September 2026, plastic articles produced under the old rules can no longer be placed on the EU market for the first time. RASFF data point in the same direction.
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.
Recently, the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) reported 15 cases of food-contact materials failing sampling inspections. Of these, 9 originated from China, 1 each from Germany, Japan, and the Netherlands, and 3 from unknown sources. The main reasons for non-compliance in this batch of notifications were: excessive migration of heavy metals — 10 cases; excessive migration of aromatic amines — 3 cases; missing compliance documentation — 2 cases; and insufficient product testing — 1 case.
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.
In May 2026, the EU Rapid Alert System for Food and Feed (RASFF) issued multiple notifications concerning food contact materials (FCMs). The alerts highlight ongoing compliance issues related to heavy metal migration, primary aromatic amine (PAA) release, and incomplete documentation.
Food contact plastics entering the European market are regulated by EU regulation EU 10/2011. EU legislation is based on the "positive list" principle, where substances used to manufacture food contact plastic materials must be selected from the list in Annex I of EU regulation EU 10/2011. Only substances listed can be added as monomers, additives, or production aids in the manufacturing formula. In the actual production process, apart from substances intentionally added during the process, there are also Non-Intentionally Added Substances (NIAS).
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.
Ceramic products, as traditional materials for food contact, are ubiquitous in the daily lives of people worldwide. Items such as bowls, cups, soup pots, tea sets, knives, ladles, plates, and dishes are commonly made of ceramic materials. Ceramics are generally perceived by the public as safe, non-toxic, and healthy materials for daily life. They come in diverse shapes, with smooth and delicate surfaces, vibrant colors, and are easy to clean, making them highly favored by many. However, ceramic products still pose safety risks, primarily stemming from the glazing process. Glazes often contain sodium silicate and metal salts, and coloring pigments may also include metal salts, leading to the potential leaching of heavy metals. Therefore, countries worldwide have established clear regulatory requirements for ceramic products.
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