WASHINGTON – The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) today released a statement in response to the U.S. Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) decision to grant an industry request to remove unnecessary listings for chemicals that are no longer used in food contact applications.
“The FDA’s decision to allow the continued safe use of substances that are essential to everyday life is consistent with extensive research conducted by industry and is supported by science,” said Patrick Krieger, PLASTICS Vice President of Sustainability. “We applaud the agency’s data-driven, fact-based approach to modernizing regulations and will continue to be an information resource for the FDA moving forward.”
The FDA amended its food additive regulations to no longer provide for most phthalates to be used in food contact applications because these uses have been abandoned by industry. The FDA revoked authorizations for the food contact use of 23 phthalates and two other substances used as plasticizers, adhesives, defoaming agents, surface lubricants, resins, and slimicides. The agency is taking this action in response to a food additive petition from the Flexible Vinyl Alliance, filed on July 3, 2018, requesting the agency remove food contact uses for these 25 substances. The petitioners successfully demonstrated that the uses of the 25 substances have been abandoned by industry.
In a second filing, FDA denied a food additive petition submitted by several non-government organizations (NGOs) requesting the removal of all clearances for phthalates used in food contact applications. After a careful review of the data provided by the NGOs in their petition, FDA determined that the petition provided an insufficient basis for changing the current clearances. FDA specifically stated in their response that they believe current dietary exposures to phthalates are safe.
About Plastics Industry Association
The Plastics Industry Association (PLASTICS) is the only organization that supports the entire plastics supply chain, representing nearly one million workers in the $395 billion U.S. industry. Since 1937, PLASTICS has been working to make its members and the industry more globally competitive while advancing recycling and sustainability. To learn more about PLASTICS’ education initiatives, industry-leading insights and events, networking opportunities and policy advocacy and the largest plastics trade show in the Americas, NPE: The Plastics Show, visit plasticsindustry.org. Connect with PLASTICS on Twitter, Facebook, LinkedIn and Instagram.