EU, Japan, and China Tighten Food Contact Material Regulations... Korea Chemical Industry Association to Support Company Responses

Sharing Key Updates on EU BPA Ban and PFAS Regulation

Review of Japan and China’s Food Contact Material Systems

Working-Level Representatives from Over 20 Chemical Companies Attend

With major countries such as the European Union (EU), Japan, and China tightening regulations on food contact materials, the need for domestic chemical companies to respond to export challenges is growing. The Korea Chemical Industry Association has stepped forward to support companies by sharing information on regulatory changes and appropriate response strategies.

At the ‘2nd Overseas Technical Regulations Briefing on Chemical Materials’ held at the FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul on the 17th, an official explained trends and countermeasures concerning Japan's food contact materials (FCM) regulations. Korea Chemical Industry Association

The Korea Chemical Industry Association announced that it held the "2nd Overseas Technical Regulation Briefing Session for the Chemical Materials Sector" at the FKI Tower in Yeouido, Seoul on the 17th.

Food contact materials are substances used in containers, packaging, and cooking utensils that come into direct or indirect contact with food. Recently, major countries have been strengthening regulations on the list of permitted substances, migration limits for hazardous materials, labeling and traceability requirements, and proof of compliance standards.

At the briefing session, discussions covered topics including the EU's complete ban on bisphenol A (BPA) and regulatory trends for per- and polyfluoroalkyl substances (PFAS), as well as Japan's positive list system for food contact materials and the details of the revised testing law set to take effect in 2026.

The session also introduced China’s detailed guidelines and application conditions for its national standards (GB4806) on food contact materials, as well as Korea’s temporary recognition system for standards and specifications for domestic equipment, containers, and packaging. Strategies that companies can utilize in the export process—such as ingredient management, testing and evaluation, and the consideration of alternative materials—were also shared.

On site, more than 20 companies and organizations, including Korea Petrochemical Ind. Co., LOTTE Chemical, LG Chem, GS Caltex, and the Korea Feed Association, sent working-level representatives to attend the briefing session.

Um Chanwang, Executive Vice Chairman of the Korea Chemical Industry Association, stated, "We hope that this briefing session will help our companies understand food contact material regulations in major countries and develop timely response strategies," adding, "We will continue to identify and disseminate overseas technical regulatory trends and actively support companies in entering global markets."

This content was produced with the assistance of AI translation services.