Adhesive Regulations

In the food packaging area a nearly immense number of adhesive systems is applied. On the other hand, adhesives are not yet covered by the ongoing European food packaging legislation harmonisation process. In principle, adhesives may be regulated in two different ways:

1. All components are integrated and listed by the Plastics Directive 2002/72/EC or
2. without not specific regulations by law but based on self-obligatory control concept established by industry to ensure that Article 2 of Framework Directive 89/109/EEC is fulfilled.

The pathway 1. which will be stepped has enormous consequences for industry with regard to necessary migration test protocols.

It appears that pathway 2. remains the only reasonable approach, however, without the current availability of a detailed concept.

Therefore, it is the aim of this project to define a concrete and targeted research project structure.