Thailand Notified WTO of Draft Revised Regulation on Food-Contact Plastics

The Thai Ministry of Public Health (MOPH) notified the World Trade Organization (WTO) of a proposal to revise standards for certain plastic food packaging. The draft proposal (WTO document 22-0680 notified under G/SPS/N/THA/484) would revise standards such as the overall migration limit, the restrictions for primary aromatic amines (PAAs), the migration limits for various metals, and the specific migration limits for certain types of food plastics as listed in Annex I. 

New plastic food packaging not listed in Annex I of the notification must be evaluated by a risk assessment center recognized by the Thai Food and Drug Administration (Thai FDA) for safety and the safety assessment report must be submitted to the Thai FDA for approval before that plastic food packaging may be marketed or used. 

The draft proposal also would permit the use of plastic food packaging made from recycled polyethylene terephthalate (PET) if the recycled PET is obtained from a secondary recycling that has been evaluated for safety and efficiency to show that contaminants are reduced or eliminated. 

This notification will enter into force the day after its publication in the Government Gazette and will replace MOPH Notification No. 295, BE 2548 (2005), “Qualities or Standards or Containers Made from Plastic.”  Food packaging made from virgin plastics that is on the market prior to when this notification comes into force may continue to be used for three years. Recycled plastic food packaging, including plastic food packaging made from recycled PET, that meets standards specified in the Notification No. 295, BE. 2548, but are different from those in this notification, may remain on the market for two years following the date of its publication in the Government Gazette.