Commission Directive 2002/72/EC relating to plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs.

The text constitutes a specific Directive within the meaning of article 3 of Directive 89/109/EEC. It applies to plastic materials and articles which, in the finished product, are intended to come into contact or are brought into contact with foodstuffs. Nevertheless, this Directive does not apply to materials and articles composed of two or more layers, one or more of which does not consist exclusively of plastics, even if the one intended to come into direct contact with foodstuffs does not consist exclusively of plastic. Plastic materials and articles shall not transfer their constituents to foodstuffs in quantities exceeding 10 milligrams per square decimetre of surface area of material or article. Moreover, only the products obtained by means of bacterial fermentation listed in Annex IV may be used in contact with foodstuffs (art. 5). Eight Annexes are attached. Annex II contains the list of monomers and other starting substances which may be used in the manufacture of plastic materials and articles; Annex III contains a list of addititves which may be used in the manufacture of plastic materials and articles.