Project Details:
Trace Elements in Plastics Series: International Measurement Evaluation Programme (IMEP-10)
| Project No.: | 240-8-95 |
| Start date: | 1995-01-01 |
| End date: | 1998-12-31 |
| Division: | Inorganic Chemistry Division |
Plastics are widely employed for packaging foods and concern has grown about the potential effects of toxic elements leached from the plastic films into the foods contained by the plastic packaging. Plastics are difficult to analyze because of their inertness and resistance to dissolution. The measurement problems and legal issues are international in scope as acceptable levels vary and acceptable methodologies are known to be deficient. This problem will be well served by the use of definitive isotope measurement technology to resolve differences in measurement in the industry and among regulatory agencies. Entrenched special interests make it difficult to come to acceptable consensus within the environmental/health interests and the industrial/agricultural interests.
Project Completed
Eight elements were certified or assigned by the certifying laboratories.The participants programme was completed in 1998 and a participantsreport was prepared by IRMM after the Geneva meeting, late in 1998.
Report will be published and merged with the publication of Project240/13/98.