Taiwan bans PVC IN FCMS from 2023

To prevent and handle the environmental and health concerns arising from the use of the substance; polyvinyl chloride (PVC) in Food Contact Materials (FCMs), Taiwanese authority is making efforts to ban the production, import, and sale of FCMs that contain PVC, currently scheduled from July 1, 2023.

The ban applies to both food/plate packaging materials as well as designated recyclable or disposable tableware containers produced with PVC. The categories of products affected include those intended for animal food, dairy products, drinks, and seasonings.

Plate packaging materials are defined as the plastic lining, blister and plate containers, which must be recycled in accordance with Taiwan’s Waste Disposal Act. Plasticisers like phthalates are added to make PVC flexible. The potential migration of plasticisers into foods or drinks brought about by the use of PVC dwells in FCMs containing PVC, which can moreover release toxicants such as dioxins and heavy metals into the environment as the items are burnt in disposal management, according to an Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announcement.

Under Taiwanese food packaging standards, some other types of phthalates, i.e. DEHP, DBP, BBP, DNOP, DIDP, DINP, DMP and DEP, have either been banned or restricted previously by the EPA. The recycling fees for PVC packaging are also gradually raised so as to steer the industries to safer chemical usage alternatives.