Document XRp02O48MMeb0RKzqO9JZpe7g

T)c ^ MAFF Ministry of Agriculture, Fisheries and Food Ergon House, c/o Nobel House. 17 Smith Square. London SW1P 3JR Telephone: 01-238 3000 Direct Line: 01-238- GTN: 238 Telex: 21271 Fax: ex.. 6591 or 6382/6338 [jpJZ/SlGII 1S MAR To Interested Industry Parties [\ March 1992 I write to draw your attention to a variation in the list of further studies of plasticisers requested from the plastics industry by the Government's independent Committee on Toxicity of Chemicals in Food, Consumer Products and the Environment (COT) . The purpose of this letter is also to seek submission as soon as possible of the data that remains outstanding. You will recall that, following detailed monitoring of the migration of plasticisers in food contact materials, the plastics industry was asked to carry out certain further studies in areas where the toxicological data had been found to be inadequate. These were: for DEHA, a dominant lethal mutagenicity study using intraperitoneal administration of DEHA; for ATBC, studies on metabolism, sub-acute toxicity and reproductive toxicity; for Polymeric plasticisers, data on the presence of lower molecular weight monomeric and oligomeric species and on the absorption, metabolism, excretion and potential for tissue accumulation of representative polymeric plasticisers. Assays of gene mutation in bacterial and mammalian systems and for chromosomal damage in mammalian cells were also required; BFG15149 *0 >* CA XX 3 for ESBO, gene mutation studies in bacterial and mammalian systems and assays for chromosomal damage in mammalian cells as well as data on teratogenicity and fertility. These requirements were clearly set out and published in the 30th Report on the Steering Group of Food Surveillance which has the task of monitoring the chemical safety of the UK food supply on a continuous basis. The requirements have also been made clear to the plastics industry in meetings with Ministers and Government officials. I now write to advise you that, in the light of a re-assessment of the data on DEHA, the COT has been able to establish a Tolerable Daily Intake (TDI) in the case of this one substance. This has been set at 0-0.3mg/kg bw/day. The further data stipulated in the case of this particular substance is, therefore, no longer required. In setting this one TDI, the COT has again drawn attention to their concern that substances proposed for use in food packaging materials which are likely to give rise to an appreciable intake should . ot be used until appropriate toxicological testing and evaluation have been carried out. The Food Advisory Committee has endorsed the action taken by the COT and has confirmed that, in the absence of the outstanding data on the other plasticisers used in conjunction with DEHA, the setting of this one TDI does not justify any change in the aavice previously issued to retailers and to consumers that, as a precautionary measure, certain uses of cling film should be avoided while the additional work is carried out. I look forward to receiving confirmation from you that remaining studies will be completed as quickly as possible the data submitted, as requested, to the Secretariat of COT. the and the Yours faithfully R McKinle^^ HEAD, Chemical Safety of Jfrdod BFG15150 *0 w 55 O o BRITISH PLASTICS FEDERATION BRITISH CHEMICAL DISTRIBUTORS & TRADERS ASSOCIATION CHEMICAL INDUSTRIES ASSOCIATION FLEXIBLE PACKAGING ASSOCIATION PACKAGING AND INDUSTRIAL FILMS ASSOCIATION BRITISH PAPER & BOARD INDUSTRIES FEDERATION BRITISH PRINTING INDUSTRIES FEDERATION BRITISH CARTON ASSOCIATION BRITISH POLYTHENE INDUSTRIES PLC EUROPEAN FOOD SERVICE & PACKAGING ASSOCIATION EUROPEAN PLASTICISED PVC FILM MANUFACTURERS ASSOCIATION PVC INFO BUREAU EURO POLYOLEFIN CLING FILM ASSOCIATION - BFG15151 7^ . INSIDE THIS WEEK PLASTICS & RUBBER WEEK Robotics Sepro is a leading French manufacturer of CNC robots, which are extensively used by French plastics processors. Alan Smith visited Sepro, examined the robots and the way proces sors in France use them to enhance production levels..... 9 APRIL 18,1992 Automotive Du Pant's contribution to the automotive sector has been substantial in the past, and still more products are being used by the industry............. 7 Contents Business........................ 4 Business background. 6 Materials........................ 8 Order Book................. 11 an emap bvi/noi publication Phillips to MAFF accepts DEHAcontinue comrade backing PPS case but sets problemsin Europe Robin hog the road? The apparently immortal Phillips Petroleum has j announced it Is to continue | Reliant Robin three-wheeler, which is the butt of many the company's commitment i to the polyphenvlene sul- | by John Whitehead and ope. i Simon Robinson the PVC film making industry both by accepting that its earli er recommendations were In !lean-approved additives for Europe's Scientific Committee nod contact. And polymeric on Foodstuffs, It is also well plasticisers have been cleared above the figure of 3mg/day jokes by |asper Cairott and other comia, may soon have GRP body panels produced tn This follows the decision oy \ fact sound and also bv appear in draft EEC regulations based shown to be the realistic Russia. Bayer in March to close its I The Ministry of Agriculture ing to pick on the other addi on approval of their upper limit by recently con When the Reliant Car Com Tedur plant at Antwerp. Fisheries and Food has tives. monomeric content. ducted industry research. pany collapsed into receiver 'Several companies have i backed down on its demand expressed a strong interest in i for more information on the our PPS business: however. ; effects of DEHA plasticiser The provision of other data will cost us a lot of monev, we are being unfairly picked on*, David Cadogan. ICl techni cal service manager on plasti cisers and a senior figure on But even with MAFF's doubts over DEHA removed, the euthorities may be putting ship last year, a Russian consortium. Autokam. mount ed an unsuccessful bid to buy these companies did not i use in cling film. says Filmco technical manag Cefic'a plasticisers committee a further obstacle in the way of the firm. It was eventually place as high a value on the ' In a letter circulated last Business as v.e do.' accord- i month. MAFF acknowledges mg to J Vanfiuskirk. senior i that further studies an not vice-president of Plastics required, thereby endorsing Worldwide. 'As a result > the stance taken by the indus Phillips wilt continue to l try five years ago. which is in manufacture, market and I line wtth European standards. support the Rvton product | But while withdrawing Its line.' I caveat on DEHA. MAFF has Phillips Petroleum cui- [ drawn attention to the need loraers can be assured of a j for further data on other sub reliable and long term sup- | stances used in cling film, piy of Rvton PPS. The com- i namelv epoxidised soya bean Panv offers three tvpes of i oil and polymeric plasticisers. PS -- the cross-Uaied. the \ MAFF'j move has incensed linear and the modified type, r- er Roger Dunieavy. Borden Packaging Group Europe tech nical director Rick Eaton com ments on the DEHA issue: 'MAFF hes b"*>n forced to admit that they have got it wrong ' Anri lie complains: 'No metier whet dale wn pro vide. they always want more,' Up to now both ESBO and polymeric plasticisers, which are used to augment the DEHA component, have enjoyed b clean bill of health. ESB'O, for example, is on the list of Euro- in Brussels told PRW: `Alt the evidence is that these materi als are completely benign. They have been completely clear in the past but there seems to be s fetish in looking at every lest detail.' MApFs letter, circulated to 'Interested parties' says that the tolerable daily Intake (TDI) on DEHA has been set at 0.3mg/kilo bodywelght per day. This level, equivalent to a maximum daily figure of IS mg, had been accepted by permitted use. This is because the required test methods and protocol based on olive oil at 40"C give migration results which are interepreted as intakes many times higher than those actually found In foodstuffs by both MAFF and industrial research. This prob lem may well prove to have wider implications for the plastics industry. And the call for further research on the other compo nents of the film, which typi cally account for some 15% of acquired in August by Tipton. West Midlands, motor compo nents group Beans Engineer ing. which since last October has been discussing the possi bility of Autokam moulding GRP body panel* for the Robin. Beans' production plans at present only call for 32 Robins per week. The labour content is comparatively high and Autokam is looking into the possibility ofalso manufactur ing other components such as electrical switches, batteries All three grades can be used I cost effectively in injection i moulding, extrusion, blow i Wavin acquires Von Rollmoulding, film and fibres. . total plasticiser use in cling and wheels, which they hope film . may well fall foul of the to produce more economically growing reluctance to carry i because of lower labour costs out animal testing. The Ani in Russia The company produces 1 mal Procedures Committee is Beans hopes to see sample Rvton from a plant In Texas i looking more and more scepti- products shortly but stresses which was previously up for 1 Wavin. the Dutch plasties expaniDns in both Southern Franee and Benelux. ' cally at work requiring data that any agreement will sale. products manufacture, has and Eastern Europe had a posi 'As well as giving us access i based on animal testing.' depend on Autokam achiev Following the closure of i lust acquired the plastic and tive effect on the consolidated to important markets in i Cadogan warns. ing satisfactory quality. Baver's Antwerp plant (PRW I fittings ousineat of the Swiss accounts during the period Switzerland. Italy. Germany i------------------------------------------------ March 38. 19931 it was car- i engineering group Von Roll. when the core element in the and France, we will benefit ' lain that Phillips would re The range of equipment Wavin business, the construc from the range of finings man- 1 consider the decision to sell from Von Roll will comple tion industry, was suffering ufactured and marketed by j me Borger plant. That has ment the Wavin Group's cur unduly from the effects of the Von Roll.' claims Alfons I now been confirmed. rent range but will protide two recession in Britain. Germany. Deiesaen. Wavin'* president. | Currently Phillips has a manufacturing bases in market share of around 60% Switzerland and one in Italy lor PPS in Europe, but this is 'there Wavin is not currently GE Plastics likelv to be increase consid present- There is also another erably following the Bayer manufacturing plant in Ger decision. Bayer is thought to many. as well as talas organisa have had a marketsbare of tions in Italy, The Netherlands around 20-25%. The other and Belgium. i.hemical companies in the Von Roll Is involved in pro- field are 5olvav. Ciba-Geigv. j duction of PE pressure systems HORIZONS GE Plastics and Hoechst -- > for gas and water applications, all of which could end ui PC pipe systems for sewer and with a part share of the PPS I domestic waste discharge. PP business left by Baver's with- i waste systems for domestic draws!. applications and other prod There is over-capacity of : ucts such as compounds, cable PPS production in lie world : ducts and insulation. v*. . Your link to the world of engineering thermoplastics ai the present time, so i Last year Wavin had a Phillips is unlikelv to want turnover of Dutch Guilders to build a PPS polymerisa- 1.8," billion (550 million), iion plant in Europe, espe with profits of around NLC 74 cially with the en million which was cliohtlv vironmental problems that down on 1990 profits, but" still always surround these - a greet effort where so much of plants. If Texas has the - the rumover is derived from capacity it is best produced the reoe&sion-hlt construction there, especially as the com industry. pany has compounding facil But it is the future which ities in both Belgium and looks so bright for the Group Germany which will contin because of investments made ue to handle the Texas pro in acquisitions and expansion duced PPS product for into other parts of Europe. It is Europe. noticeable that the geographic London Arttd Plastics la producing half litre bottae In two differ- i nt Mum for a variety of motoring products for Jet The bottles ere > blown from high density polyethylene end reflect the company* i recent expansion of Ha blow moulding capacity and entry Into I higher votume packaging markets. This follows the take over of part of Leftargold teat Spring when i LAP acquired two twin-heeded blow moulding machines The Ierg- [ er ts a Moretti MSQOO - the second machine Is an Autonta MOM ) both able fa Wow botdee up to Z litres capacity it a production rate | of approximately 000 per hour- prior acquiring the new machines LAP concentrated on engineer I Ing quality, specialised blow mouldings lot the automotive Indus- < try and similar applications. Now the company is manufacturing I the hatf litre boMes In a matching blue fa complement the Jetmax > range of ratal! oil packs. Three grades ere evitable wfthin the I range. [ GE Plastics Old Hall Road. Sale. Cheshire M332HG 061 905 5000 Deiwiraraee contour* toovnitmw* to MdM value .1 U'U1 nro 1 ^ 1 ^9.