The paper and board manufacturing industry, as well as converting sectors including the tissue industry publish today the completely rewritten voluntary ‘Food Contact Guidelines for the Compliance of Paper and Board Materials and Articles’.
Formally called “Industry Guideline”, the revised guidelines are intended to enhance the trust of public authorities, business operators and consumers in the safety of paper and board materials for food contact applications.
This technical document, first published in 2010 and updated in 2012, outlines how to meet the highest safety standards for paper and board products used in food contact applications. The processing chain for paper and board food contact articles is diverse ; it has to deal with many challenges in demonstrating the safety of materials :
“Our sectors’ key priority is to safeguard – at all times – the safety both of the packaging system and food that we deliver. With the Food Contact Guidelines, we wish to provide an effective compliance tool in line with the EU Framework Regulation on Food Contact Materials by ensuring an efficient exchange of information along the supply chain” explained Jori Ringman, Deputy Director General at CEPI and expert in product safety.
The guidelines take into account the increasing need for a compliance monitoring tool that covers risk management, product design, material selection, Good Manufacturing Practice as well as process monitoring and control.
In the absence of specific EU legislation covering paper and board products in the field of food safety, the industry took the initiative to fill the gap by developing this guidance which serves both industry and consumers, also from an environmental point of view :
“The lack of a specific EU wide measure for paper and board, including tissue, has created a disadvantage in the market because compliance for these materials is perceived to be less clear than for plastics in contact with food. Whenever the European Commission decides to choose paper and board as its next priority for regulation, the guidelines could be used as a starting point,” concluded Angelika Christ, Secretary General of FEFCO.
From a practical point of view, the guidelines help producers fulfill obligations deriving from EU legislation and support suppliers to adequately perform their own compliance work by giving them the required and necessary information.
Since their launch in 2010, the guidelines have gained much support among users and well proved their value : watch our explanatory video to learn more !
The paper and board industry will continue to focus on ensuring compliance with existing EU provisions and supporting the demand of the market and customers for unquestionable product safety.
ACE – The Alliance for Beverage Cartons and the Environment provides a European platform for beverage carton manufacturers Tetra Pak, SIG Combibloc and Elopak and their paperboard suppliers in Europem, Stora Enso and BillerudKorsnäs, to benchmark and profile cartons as renewable, recyclable and low carbon packaging solutions. Engaging with stakeholders and partners seeking high environmental stewardship, it contributes expertise to EU policy, legislation and standard‐setting.
CCB – CEPI Container Board is a European industry association of producers of corrugated case materials, also called containerboard. Activities are focused on primary-fibre materials (kraftliner, semi-chemical fluting) and recycled-fibre containerboard (e.g. testliner). Members thus represent a total European production capacity of more than 28 million tons of corrugated case materials. CCB is also responsible for the management of a global containerboard industry organisation, the World Containerboard Organisation, has an office in Brussels, Belgium, and a membership of leading producers in North and South America, South Africa, Oceania and Japan.
CEPI – The Confederation of European Paper Industries is a Brussels-based non-profit making organisation regrouping the European pulp and paper industry and championing this industry’s achievements and the benefits of its products. Its mission is to promote the members’ business sector by taking specific actions notably, by monitoring and analysing activities and initiatives in the areas of industry, environment, energy, forestry, recycling, fiscal policies and competitiveness in general. Through CEPI, the paper industry increases its visibility and acts on emerging issues, making expert and constructive contributions on behalf of the industry.
CITPA – Confederation of International Converters of Paper and Board in Europe, established in 1961, represents the interests of the European Paper and Board Converting Industry which covers a wide variety of converted paper products including packaging, beverages cartons, corrugated board, speciality papers and many more. CITPA membership comprises European level associations such as ACE, EUROSAC, FEFCO, Euro Wax Pack, FINAT, ECTA and ECMA as well as national federations such as Austria, Belgium, France, Germany, Italy and Portugal and associate members, ProCarton, PaperImpact and CepiEurokraft.
ECMA – The European Carton Makers Association, is the official organisation for carton businesses, national carton associations and suppliers to the carton industry. ECMA provides the European folding carton industry with a dynamic business network. With its seat in The Hague, The Netherlands, and an office in Brussels, ECMA represents around 500 carton producers in nearly all countries in the European Economic Area. ECMA members account for around 70% of the total carton market volume in Europe, and a current workforce of about 50.000 people.
ETS – European Tissue Paper Industry Association’s members represent the majority of tissue paper producers throughout Europe and around 90% of the total European tissue production. ETS was founded in 1971 and is based in Brussels.
FEFCO – European Federation of Corrugated Board Manufacturers represents the interests of the European Corrugated Board Manufacturers. Headquartered in Brussels, FEFCO has 17 association members, all European national corrugated packaging organisations. The role of the Federation is to investigate economic, financial, technical and marketing issues of interest to the corrugated packaging industry, analyse all factors which may influence the industry, and promote and develop its image.
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