The European Parliament’s Environment, Food and Public Health committee (ENVI) by a vote of 42 to 17 (with one abstention) has rejected a proposal for a full ban on the use of bisphenol A (BPA) in food packaging.

The full ban had been proposed by four MPs, led by Martin Hausling of the European Green Party, who had argued that only this could provide certainty for both consumers and industry.

As a compromise, the committee endorsed an existing European Commission proposal to lower the specific migration limit applicable to plastics, coatings and varnishes for metals and other food contact sources of BPA, from 0.06 mg/kg to 0.05 mg/kg.

The EU’s proposal also calls for a ban on BPA in plastic bottles and packaging containing food for babies and children under three years old. Led by France, which took action in 2012, several member states have banned the chemical – used to produce polycarbonate and epoxy resins for can liners – in those applications.

The polycarbonate (PC)/BPA group of trade association PlasticsEurope welcomed the vote. “Swift adoption and implementation throughout the EU of the new measure on BPA will be a positive science-based step to resolve the distortion of the single market, while, most importantly, maintaining a high level of consumer protection,” said Jasmin Bird, manager of communications at the PC/BPA group.

Health and environmental NGOs accused MEPs of doing an about-turn. In October 2016, a large majority in the Parliament had backed an ENVI report calling for a ban on BPA in all food contact materials. 

Separately, the European Commission’s Member State Committee (MSC) came out in support of Germany’s proposal to additionally identify bisphenol A (BPA) as a substance of very high concern (SVHC) because of its endocrine disrupting properties.

The chemical was already on the Candidate List kept by the European Chemicals Agency (ECHA), the agency that administrates the REACH legislation, due to its toxic for reproduction and endocrine disrupting properties. ECHA also voted unanimously last June to identify BPA as a substance of very high concern (SVHC), citing its endocrine disrupting properties.

“The adverse health effects of bisphenol A, even at low doses, are so well documented that it should already have been banned from all consumer products a long time ago,” said Natacha Cingotti , health and chemicals policy officer at the Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL).

Others defended the Environment Committee’s vote as a pragmatic compromise. MEP Christel Schaldemose, spokesperson for the Socialist and Democrat group, said: “With the proposal from the Commission, even though it’s not ambitious enough, we will within six months be able to protect our children against exposure from BPA in food contact materials. We think that even though it’s a very small step, it’s a step in the right direction.”