The Plastic Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2009

Method of testing the capability of plastic materials or articles to transfer constituents, and methods of analysis

13.—(1) A plastic material or article shall be treated as capable of transferring constituents to food with which it may come into contact to the extent that such capability is established —

(a) in any case other than one to which sub-paragraph (b) or (c) applies, and subject to Article 8(4) of the Directive (which may be applied on compliance with the conditions stated therein), by the verification methods specified in Schedule 2 (including the analytical tolerances referred to in paragraph 12 of that Schedule) and Schedule 3;

(b) in any case where the extent to which vinyl chloride, as identified in Section A of Annex II, is capable of such transfer falls to be established, by the method referred to in regulation 9(2) of the 2007 Regulations; or

(c) in any case where the extent to which a phthalate listed in Section B of Annex III with PM reference number 74640, 74880, 74560, 75100 or 75105 is capable of such transfer falls to be established, by the method referred to in Article 8(5) of the Directive.

(2) In Schedules 2 and 3, references to migration or release of a substance are to be construed as references to the transfer of constituents to the food or simulant representing the food with which the substance may come into contact.

(3) The specific migration of a constituent from a plastic material or article shall where applicable be determined in the manner specified in the relevant sub-paragraph of paragraph 8 of Annex II.

(4) The quantity of a constituent in a plastic material or article shall where applicable be determined in the manner specified in the sub-paragraph of paragraph 8 of Annex II relating to the term “QM(T)”, “QMA(T)” or, as the case may be, “QMA”.