Pigments for Plastics

Colorants Portfolio
for
Sensitive Applications
in Plastics

Version: July 2014

Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications in Plastics

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 Pigments for Plastics

Table of Contents
1  Introduction 4 
2  BASF Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications in Plastics 4 
2.1  Product scoping 4 
2.2  Definition and revisions 4 
2.3  Purity limits for BASF products in Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications 5 
2.4  BASF Colorants for Food Contact Materials (Status as of July 2014) 6 
2.5  BASF Colorants for Toys (Status as of July 2014) 10 
3  Legislations for Food Contact Materials 15 
3.1  EU legislations 15 
3.1.1  All Food Contact Materials and Articles 15 
3.1.2  Plastic Food Contact Materials and Articles 16 
3.1.3  Council of Europe Resolutions 17 
3.2  France 17 
3.3  Germany 18 
3.4  Italy 18 
3.5  Australia 18 
3.6  Canada 18 
3.7  China 18 
3.8  India 19 
3.9  Japan 19 
3.10  Mercosul/Mercosur 19 
3.11  USA 19 
4  Legislation on Toys 20 
4.1  Europe 20 
4.2  Australia, AS/NZS ISO 8124-3:2010 20 
4.3  USA, ASTM 963-07 21 
5  Other Sensitive Applications 21 
5.1  Medical Devices 21 
5.2  Pharmaceutical Packaging 21 
5.3  Cosmetic Packaging Applications 21 
5.4  Drinking Water Applications 21 
6  Disclaimer 22 
7  Appendix: Definitions and Abbreviations 23 

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Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications in Plastics

1 Introduction
This document gives an overview of BASF selected Colorants Portfolio for Plastics listed by national
regulations and additionally provides a summary of the key regulations ruling colorants for plastics going into
food contact materials and toys. It is meant as a general introduction for everyone who wants to get a baseline
understanding of the regulatory framework for food contact material and toys. If further information is required,
please contact [email protected].
Where general comments are provided, the original text of the law or standard has to be consulted to avoid
misunderstandings and incorrect interpretations.
All information in this document has been compiled with great care and reflects BASF best knowledge at date
of issue (July 2014). Due to continuous evolution of the subject, information may rapidly change and therefore
this document can only be considered as a snapshot of current situation as date of publication (July 2014). To
ensure a full updated compliance status of a given product to newest legislation requirements or technology
changes, we strongly recommend our customers to systematically check this status with their BASF
representative or contact BASF at [email protected].

2 BASF Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications in Plastics

2.1 Product scoping
This document lists the BASF portfolio of colorants for plastics and fibers that will be actively supported for use
in sensitive applications such as Food Packaging and Toys.
Detailed compliance status of BASF organic and inorganic pigments as well as polymer soluble colorants and
Pigments Preparations is provided in Appendix table, listed for each product per national regulations.
As effect pigments are currently under review, those will be covered by a specific forthcoming update.

2.2 Definition and revisions

BASF Colorants for Plastics Portfolio screened for Sensitive Applications have been initially assessed through
specific criteria such as product finger-print including purity profile as well as manufacturing set-up including
consideration for cross-contamination risk.
Also, as relevant, product processing behavior in plastics was assessed and when needed, a product would
have to undergo a risk assessment under standard or specific conditions of use.
For those products, Management of Change process at BASF systematically aims at retaining existing
compliance status for products affected by modifications such as raw materials changes or manufacturing
process modifications.
As a result of all those precautionary measures, BASF can now, for all products listed in this “Colorants
Portfolio for Sensitive Applications”, deliver Food Contact Certificates (FCC) moving forward. FCC provided by
BASF for Plastic Food Contact Materials is the official document which covers EU Declaration of Compliance
(DoC) legal requirements as well as compliance requirements of other regional jurisdictions as applicable.
BASF Colorants Portfolio for sensitive applications is regularly reviewed in line with evolving regulatory
requirements, new developments in product technology and new findings in legal environment or product
toxicology.
Consequently, FCC's for products in Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications will be regularly updated and
whenever possible upgraded to continue meeting regulatory requirements.

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 Pigments for Plastics

Even though it is BASF intention to sustain as much as possible the compliance scope and depth of the
selective Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications, no guarantee can be given that all products will remain
compliant under all circumstances, e.g. future evolutions of the regulatory environment. In such cases that shall
remain exceptional, BASF will strive to provide updated information to customers with pre-notice time.

2.3 Purity limits for BASF products in Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications
For products that have been selected in BASF Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications, “spot testing”
program with adapted testing scope and frequencies are defined in order to regularly check that products are
manufactured in line with target purity levels. If required, spot testing can be extended for systematic batch to
batch analysis by setting-up an internal specification ensuring strict monitoring of target purity profile.
Typical purity limits as defined by BASF for Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications are detailed below
(BASF Purity Limits 2013):

Impurity Limit (ppm)

Aluminium (Al) 5000
Antimony (Sb) 45
Arsenic (As) 3
Barium (Ba) 100
Boron (B) 1000
Cadmium (Cd) 1
Chromium (Cr III) 25
Cobalt (Co) 10
Copper (Cu) 600
Lead (Pb) 10
Manganese (Mn) 800
Mercury (Hg) 5
Nickel (Ni) 50
Selenium (Se) 25
Strontium (Sr) 4500
Tin (Sn) 15000
Zinc (Zn) 1000
Iron (Fe) 4500
Lithium (Li) 500
Primary aromatic amines (PAA) 500
Benzidine, beta-naphthylamine, 4-aminobiphenyl 10
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) 25

Those purity limits allow meeting requirements of most of targeted end use applications e.g. food contact
packaging and toys applications.

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Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications in Plastics

2.4 BASF Colorants for Food Contact Materials (Status as of July 2014)
This portfolio is regularly reviewed according to business needs and regulatory requirements. For any updates
please contact the [email protected] mailbox.
The overview of products' compliance status in the table below should be used as an internal guide only. In any
case, it does not replace the product detailed information in the Food Contact Certificates.
For more detailed information on specific country requirements and conditions of use, please refer to the
relevant Food Contact Certificates which are available at [email protected] upon request.

BASF Colorants for

Food Contact Regulations
food contact applications
Status: July 2014 European Union USA Japan Aus. China

EC Regulation 10/2011

France Brochure 1227

1935/2004/EC – Art. 3

Italy Decreto 21/3/73

Germany BfR IX

AS 2070-1999

GB9685-2008
Product Old product name C.I. Name

FDA, 21CFR

JHOSPA
AP(89)1

JHPA
Cinquasia® Magenta K 4535 Cinquasia® Magenta RT-235-D PR 202 ● ● ● ●  ●   ○ ● 
Cinquasia® Magenta K 4535 FP Cromophtal® Magenta P PR 202 ● ● ● ●  ●   ○ ● 
Cinquasia® Pink K 4410 Cromophtal® Pink 2000 PR 122 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Cinquasia® Pink K 4430 FP Cromophtal® Pink PT PR 122 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Cinquasia® Red K 4104 Cromophtal® Red 2020 PV 19 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Cinquasia® Red K 4111 Cromophtal® Red TBR PV 19 ● ○ ● ● ○ ○  ○  ● ○
Cinquasia® Red K 4330 Cinquasia® Red B RT-195-D - ● ● ● ● ○ ●   ○ ● ○
Cinquasia® Violet K 5350 Cinquasia® Violet R RT-891-D PV 19 ●  ● ● ○    ○ ● 
Cinquasia® Violet K 5350 FP Cromophtal® Violet RP PV 19 ●  ● ● ○    ○ ● 
Cromophtal® Orange K 2960 Cromophtal® Orange GP PO 64 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ○ ● 
Cromophtal® Red K 3830 Cromophtal® Red G PR 220 ● ● ● ●  ●    ● 
Cromophtal® Red K 3890 Cromophtal® Red BRN PR 144 ● ● ● ●  ● ○   ● 
Cromophtal® Red K 3890 FP Cromophtal® Red BRNP PR 144 ● ● ● ●  ● ○   ● 
Cromophtal® Red K 3900 Cromophtal® Red BN PR 214 ● ● ● ●  ● ○   ● 
Cromophtal® Red K 3900 FP Cromophtal® Red BNFP PR 214 ● ● ● ●  ● ○   ● 
Cromophtal® Scarlet K 3540 Cromophtal® Scarlet RN PR 166 ● ● ● ●  ● ○   ● 
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1210 Cromophtal® Yellow 3G PY 93 ● ● ● ●  ●    ● 
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1210 FP Cromophtal® Yellow 3GNP PY 93 ● ● ● ●  ●    ● 
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1310 Cromophtal® Yellow 4GV PY 215 ●  ● ● ○    ○ ○
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1410 Cromophtal® Yellow 2GO PY 180 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ○ ● 
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1500 Cromophtal® Yellow GR PY 95 ● ● ● ● ● ●    ● 
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1500 FP Cromophtal® Yellow GRP PY 95 ● ● ● ● ● ●    ● 
Eupolen® PE Blue 69-1501 PB 15:1   ●  ○   ○ ○  ○
Eupolen® PE Blue 69-2001 PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ○ ● 
Eupolen® PE Blue 70-9001 PB 15:3 ●  ● ● ● ●  ○ ● ● 
Eupolen® PE Blue 70-9005 PB 15:3 ●  ● ● ● ●  ○ ● ● 
Eupolen® PE Blue 71-0401 PB 15:4 ●  ● ● ○ ●  ○ ○ ● ○
Eupolen® PE Brown 29-1505 PR 101 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ● ● 
Eupolen® PE Green 87-3001 PG 7   ●     ○   
Eupolen® PE Green 87-3005 PG 7   ●     ○   
Eupolen® PE Green 87-3501 PG 7   ●     ○ ○  
Eupolen® PE Green 93-6001 PG 36   ●     ○ ○  

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 Pigments for Plastics

BASF Colorants for

Food Contact Regulations
food contact applications
Status: July 2014 European Union USA Japan Aus. China

EC Regulation 10/2011

France Brochure 1227

1935/2004/EC – Art. 3

Italy Decreto 21/3/73

Germany BfR IX

AS 2070-1999

GB9685-2008
Product Old product name C.I. Name

FDA, 21CFR

JHOSPA
AP(89)1

JHPA
Eupolen® PE Red 39-1101 PR 178 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ○ ● 
Eupolen® PE Red 47-9001 PR 122 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ○ ● 
Eupolen® PE Yellow 09-6101 PY 138  ● ●     ○   
Eupolen® PE Yellow 13-1501 PY 215 ●  ● ● ○   ○ ○ ○
Eupolen® PE Yellow 17-6001 PY 191:1 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Eupolen® PE Yellow 18-0001 Eupolen® PE Yellow 22-7001 PY 183 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ○ ● 
Eupolen® PE Yellow 18-0004 Eupolen® PE Yellow 22-7004 PY 183 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ○ ● 
Eupolen® PE Yellow 18-4101 PY 139  ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Eupolen® PE Yellow 18-4105 PY 139  ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Eupolen® PE Yellow 20-8501 PY 110 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Heliogen® Blue K 6850 PB 15 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Heliogen® Blue K 6860 PB 15 ●  ● ● ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Heliogen® Blue K 6902 PB 15:1 ●  ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Heliogen® Blue K 6907 PB 15:1 ●  ● ● ● ●   ● ● ○
Heliogen® Blue K 6911 Heliogen® Blue K 6911 D PB 15:1 ●  ● ● ● ●   ● ● ○
Heliogen® Blue K 6912 FP Heliogen® Blue K 6911 FP PB 15:1 ●  ● ● ● ●  ○ ● ● ○
Heliogen® Blue K 6916 PB 15:1 ●  ● ● ○ ● ○  ○ ● ○
Heliogen® Blue K 7090 PB 15:3 ●  ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Heliogen® Blue K 7090 FP PB 15:3 ●  ● ● ● ●  ○ ● ● 
Heliogen® Blue K 7097 Cromophtal® Blue 4GNP. PB 15:3 ●  ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Heliogen® Blue K 7104 LW PB 15:4 ●  ● ● ○ ●   ○ ● ○
Heliogen® Green K 8683 PG 7  ● ●     ○   
Heliogen® Green K 8730 PG 7   ●        
Heliogen® Green K 8730 FP PG 7   ●     ○   
Heliogen® Green K 8730 Z PG 7   ●     ○   
Heliogen® Green K 8740 Heliogen® Green K 8740 LW PG 7   ●     ○   
Heliogen® Green K 9360 FK PG 36   ● ● ○  ○ ○ ○  
Irgalite® Red K 4060 FP Irgalite® Red 2BSP PR 48:3  ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Irgalite® Red K 4170 FP Irgalite® Red 2BP PR 48:2 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ● ● ○
Irgalite® Rubine K 4270 FP Irgalite® Rubine 4BP PR 57:1 ●  ● ●   ○  ● ● ○
Irgalite® Scarlet K 4165 PR 48:3  ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Irgazin® Flame Red K 3800 Cromophtal® DPP Flame Red FP PR 272 ● ● ● ●  ● ○  ○ ● 
Irgazin® Orange K 2890 Cromophtal® Orange 2G PO 61 ● ● ● ● ● ● ○   ● ○
Irgazin® Orange K 2910 Cromophtal® DPP Orange TRP PO 71 ● ● ● ●  ● ○  ○ ● ○
Irgazin® Red K 3810 Irgazin® DPP Red BTR PR 254 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○  ● 
Irgazin® Red K 3840 Cromophtal® Red 2030 PR 254 ● ● ● ● ● ●    ● 
Irgazin® Red K 3840 LW Cromophtal® Red 2028 PR 254 ● ● ● ●  ●   ○ ● 
Irgazin® Red K 3840 SQ Cromophtal® Red 1030-P PR 254 ● ● ● ● ● ●    ● 
Irgazin® Red K 3842 Cromophtal® DPP Red BP PR 254 ● ● ● ● ● ●    ● 
Irgazin® Red K 3845 LW Cromophtal® DPP Red BOC PR 254 ●  ● ●   ○   ● 
Irgazin® Rubine K 4080 Cromophtal® Rubine TR - ● ● ● ● ○ ●   ○ ○
Irgazin® Rubine K 4085 Irgazin® DPP Rubine TR PR 264 ● ● ● ●  ● ○ ○ ○ ● 

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Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications in Plastics

BASF Colorants for

Food Contact Regulations
food contact applications
Status: July 2014 European Union USA Japan Aus. China

EC Regulation 10/2011

France Brochure 1227

1935/2004/EC – Art. 3

Italy Decreto 21/3/73

Germany BfR IX

AS 2070-1999

GB9685-2008
Product Old product name C.I. Name

FDA, 21CFR

JHOSPA
AP(89)1

JHPA
Irgazin® Yellow K 2060 Irgazin® Yellow 3RLTN PY 110 ● ● ● ●  ●  ○  ● 
Irgazin® Yellow K 2060 FP Cromophtal® Yellow 3RLP PY 110 ● ● ● ●  ●    ● 
Irgazin® Yellow K 2060 SQ PY 110 ● ● ● ●  ●  ○  ● 
Irgazin® Yellow K 2080 Cromophtal® Yellow 2RLP PY 110 ● ● ● ●  ●    ● 
Microlen® Black 0068 MC Microlen Black 782-MC PBk 7 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Blue 6907 MC Microlen® Blue 6907-MC PB 15:1 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● ○
Microlen® Blue 6911 MC Microlen® Blue BCS-MC PB 15:1 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● ○
Microlen® Blue 6916 MC PB 15:1 ●  ● ● ○  ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Microlen® Blue 7079 MC Microlen® Blue 4GNP-MC PB 15:1 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Blue 7098 MC Microlen® Blue PD4167-MC PB 15:3 ● ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Microlen® Flame Red 3800 MC Microlen® DPP Flame Red FP-MC PR 272 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Green 8730 MC Microlen® Green 8730-MC PG 7   ●     ○ ○  
Microlen® Magenta 4535 MC Microlen® Magenta RT-235-MC PR 202 ●  ● ●  ●  ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Orange 2910 MC Microlen® DPP Orange TR-MC PO 71 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Orange 2960 MP Microlen® Orange GP-MP PO 64 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Pink 4430 MC Microlen® Pink PT-MC PR 122 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Red 3840 LW MC Microlen® Red 2028-MC PR 254 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Red 3840 MC Microlen® Red 2030-MC PR 254 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Red 3890 MC Microlen® Red BRN-MC PR 144 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Red 3890 MCQ Microlen® Red BRN-MCQ PR 144 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Red 4060 MC Microlen® Red 2BSH-MC PR 48:3  ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Microlen® Red 4104 MC Microlen® Red 2020-MC PV 19 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Red 4170 MC Microlen® Red 2BPH-MC PR 48:2 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Microlen® Red 4330 MC Microlen® Red RT-195-MC - ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Rubine 4085 MC Microlen® DPP Rubine TR-MC PR 264 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Rubine 4270 MC Microlen® Rubine 4BP-MC PR 57:1 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Microlen® Yellow 1070 MC Microlen® Yellow WGP-MC PY 168 ●  ● ●   ○ ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Yellow 1210 MC Microlen® Yellow 3G-MC PY 93 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Yellow 1210 MCQ Microlen® Yellow 3G-MCQ PY 93 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Yellow 1410 MC PY 180 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Yellow 1500 MC Microlen® Yellow GR-MC PY 95 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Yellow 2070 MC Microlen® Yellow 2RLTS-MC PY 110 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Microlen® Yellow 2070 MCQ Microlen® Yellow 2RLTS-MCQ PY 110 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Oracet® Blue 690 Oracet® Blue PD2104 SB 104 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ○ ● 
Oracet® Orange 220 Oracet® Orange ES SO 116 ● ● ● ● ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ○
Oracet® Red 344 Oracet® Red GN SR 135 ● ● ● ●  ●   ○ ● 
Oracet® Yellow 125 Oracet® Yellow PD 2114 SY 114 ● ● ● ● ● ● ○ ○ ○ ● 
Oracet® Yellow 140 Oracet® Yellow RB PY 147 ● ● ● ●  ●    ● 
Oracet® Yellow 144 FE Filester® Yellow RNB PY 147 ● ● ● ●  ●    ● 
Oracet® Yellow 180 Oracet® Yellow GHS SY 163 ● ● ● ●  ● ○  ○ ● 
Paliogen® Red K 3911 Paliogen® Red K 3911 HD PR 178 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ● ○ ● 
Paliogen® Red K 4180 PR 179 ● ● ● ● ○ ●   ○ ● 

8│28
 Pigments for Plastics

BASF Colorants for

Food Contact Regulations
food contact applications
Status: July 2014 European Union USA Japan Aus. China

EC Regulation 10/2011

France Brochure 1227

1935/2004/EC – Art. 3

Italy Decreto 21/3/73

Germany BfR IX

AS 2070-1999

GB9685-2008
Product Old product name C.I. Name

FDA, 21CFR

JHOSPA
AP(89)1

JHPA
Paliotol® Orange K 2920 PO 79 ● ● ● ● ○ ●  ○ ○ ○
Paliotol® Yellow K 0961 Paliotol® Yellow K 0961 HD PY 138  ● ●        
Paliotol® Yellow K 1070 Irgalite® Yellow WGP PY 168 ● ● ● ●  ● ○  ○ ● 
Paliotol® Yellow K 1760 FP Cromophtal® Yellow HRPN PY 191:1 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Paliotol® Yellow K 1800 Paliotol® Yellow K 2270 PY 183 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ○ ● 
Paliotol® Yellow K 1841 PY 139  ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○  ○ ● ○
Paliotol® Yellow K 1841 FP PY 139  ○ ● ● ○ ○ ○  ○ ● ○
Rightfit® Red K 3790 PR 276 ● ● ● ● ○ ●  ○ ○ ○
Rightfit® Red K 4350 PR 277 ●  ● ● ○   ○ ○ ○
Sicopal® Black K 0095 PBr 29 ●  ● ● ○  ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Sicopal® Blue K 6310 PB 28 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Sicopal® Blue K 7210 PB 36 ● ● ● ● ● ● ○  ○ ● 
Sicopal® Yellow K 1120 FG PY 184 ●  ● ● ○  ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Sicotan® Brown K 2611 PY 164 ● ● ● ● ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Sicotan® Brown K 2711 PY 164 ● ● ● ● ○ ● ○ ○ ○ ● ○
Sicotan® Yellow K 1010 PY 53 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 1011 PY 53 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 1011 FG PY 53 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ● ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 2001 PBr 24 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ○ ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 2001 FG PBr 24 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ○ ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 2011 PBr 24 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ○ ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 2011 FG PBr 24 ● ● ● ● ● ●  ○ ○ ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 2107 PBr 24 ● ● ● ● ● ●   ○ ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 2111 PBr 24 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 2111 FG PBr 24 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 2112 PBr 24 ●  ● ●     ○ ● 
Sicotan® Yellow K 2112 FG PBr 24 ●  ● ●    ○ ○ ● 
Sicotrans® Red K 2819 PR 101 ●  ● ● ● ●   ● ● 
Sicotrans® Red K 2915 PR 101 ●  ● ● ● ●   ● ● 

● Compliant
○ Not Compliant
 Compliant with use restrictions, for more information please contact [email protected].

9│28
Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications in Plastics

2.5 BASF Colorants for Toys (Status as of July 2014)

This portfolio is regularly reviewed according to business needs and regulatory requirements. For any updates
please contact the [email protected] mailbox.
The overview of products status in the table below should be used as an internal guide only. In any case, it
does not replace the product detailed information contained in specific statements about toys applications.
For more detailed information on specific country or application requirements, please contact us at
[email protected].
Please note that in EU, toys for children under 3 years and toys for mouth contact have to fulfil Article 3 of the
Framework Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004.

BASF Colorants for toys Toys for children

under 3 years and Toys for children above 3 years
toys for mouth and no mouth contact
contact
Status: July 2014 European Union Europe USA Australia

Norm 71-3, 2002

Norm 71-3, 2013

ISO8124.3:2003
1935/2004/EC

ASTM 963-07
Product Old product name C.I. Name

AS/NZS
– Art. 3
Cinquasia® Magenta K 4535 Cinquasia® Magenta RT-235-D PR 202 ● ● ● ● ●
Cinquasia® Magenta K 4535 FP Cromophtal® Magenta P PR 202 ● ● ● ● ●
Cinquasia® Pink K 4410 Cromophtal® Pink 2000 PR 122 ● ● ● ● ●
Cinquasia® Pink K 4430 FP Cromophtal® Pink PT PR 122 ● ● ● ● ●
Cinquasia® Red K 4104 Cromophtal® Red 2020 PV 19 ● ● ● ● ●
Cinquasia® Red K 4111 Cromophtal® Red TBR PV 19 ● ● ● ● ●
Cinquasia® Red K 4330 Cinquasia® Red B RT-195-D – ● ● ● ● ●
Cinquasia® Violet K 5350 Cinquasia® Violet R RT-891-D PV 19 ● ● ● ● ●
Cinquasia® Violet K 5350 FP Cromophtal® Violet RP PV 19 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Brown K 3001 Cromophtal® Brown 5R PBr 23 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Orange K 2960 Cromophtal® Orange GP PO 64 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Red K 3830 Cromophtal® Red G PR 220 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Red K 3890 Cromophtal® Red BRN PR 144 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Red K 3890 FP Cromophtal® Red BRNP PR 144 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Red K 3900 Cromophtal® Red BN PR 214 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Red K 3900 FP Cromophtal® Red BNFP PR 214 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Red K 4035 Cromophtal® Red 2B PR 221 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Scarlet K 3540 Cromophtal® Scarlet RN PR 166 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Violet K 5700 Cromophtal® Violet B PV 37 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Yellow K 0990 Cromophtal® Yellow 8GN PY 128 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Yellow K 0990 FP Cromophtal® Yellow 8GNP PY 128 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1210 Cromophtal® Yellow 3G PY 93 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1210 FP Cromophtal® Yellow 3GNP PY 93 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1310 Cromophtal® Yellow 4GV PY 215 ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1410 Cromophtal® Yellow 2GO PY 180 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1500 Cromophtal® Yellow GR PY 95 ● ● ● ● ●
Cromophtal® Yellow K 1500 FP Cromophtal® Yellow GRP PY 95 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Blue 69-1501 PB 15:1  ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Blue 69-2001 PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Blue 70-9001 PB 15:3 ● ● ● ● ●

10│28
 Pigments for Plastics

BASF Colorants for toys Toys for children

under 3 years and Toys for children above 3 years
toys for mouth and no mouth contact
contact
Status: July 2014 European Union Europe USA Australia

Norm 71-3, 2002

Norm 71-3, 2013

ISO8124.3:2003
1935/2004/EC

ASTM 963-07
Product Old product name C.I. Name

AS/NZS
– Art. 3
Eupolen® PE Blue 70-9005 PB 15:3 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Blue 71-0401 PB 15:4 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Brown 29-1505 PR 101 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Green 87-3001 PG 7  ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Green 87-3005 PG 7  ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Green 87-3501 PG 7  ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Green 93-6001 PG 36  ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Red 39-1101 PR 178 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Red 47-9001 PR 122 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Yellow 09-6101 PY 138  ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Yellow 13-1501 PY 215 ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Yellow 17-6001 PY 191:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Yellow 18-0001 Eupolen® PE Yellow 22-7001 PY 183 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Yellow 18-0004 Eupolen® PE Yellow 22-7004 PY 183 ● ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Yellow 18-4101 PY 139  ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Yellow 18-4105 PY 139  ● ● ● ●
Eupolen® PE Yellow 20-8501 PY 110 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 6850 PB 15 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 6860 PB 15 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 6902 PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 6907 PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 6911 Heliogen® Blue K 6911 D PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 6912 FP Heliogen® Blue K 6911 FP PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 6916 PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 7090 PB 15:3 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 7090 FP PB 15:3 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 7097 Cromophtal® Blue 4GNP. PB 15:3 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Blue K 7104 LW PB 15:4 ● ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Green K 8683 PG 7  ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Green K 8730 PG 7  ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Green K 8730 FP PG 7  ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Green K 8730 Z PG 7  ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Green K 8740 Heliogen® Green K 8740 LW PG 7  ● ● ● ●
Heliogen® Green K 9360 FK PG 36  ● ● ● ●
Irgalite® Red K 4060 FP Irgalite® Red 2BSP PR 48:3  ● SST ● ●
Irgalite® Red K 4170 FP Irgalite® Red 2BP PR 48:2 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgalite® Rubine K 4270 FP Irgalite® Rubine 4BP PR 57:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgalite® Scarlet K 4165 PR 48:3  ● SST ● ●
Irgazin® Flame Red K 3800 Cromophtal® DPP Flame Red FP PR 272 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Orange K 2890 Cromophtal® Orange 2G PO 61 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Orange K 2910 Cromophtal® DPP Orange TRP PO 71 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Red K 3810 Irgazin® DPP Red BTR PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●

11│28
Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications in Plastics

BASF Colorants for toys Toys for children

under 3 years and Toys for children above 3 years
toys for mouth and no mouth contact
contact
Status: July 2014 European Union Europe USA Australia

Norm 71-3, 2002

Norm 71-3, 2013

ISO8124.3:2003
1935/2004/EC

ASTM 963-07
Product Old product name C.I. Name

AS/NZS
– Art. 3
Irgazin® Red K 3840 Cromophtal® Red 2030 PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Red K 3840 LW Cromophtal® Red 2028 PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Red K 3840 SQ Cromophtal® Red 1030-P PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Red K 3842 Cromophtal® DPP Red BP PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Red K 3845 Irgazin® DPP Red BO PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Red K 3845 LW Cromophtal® DPP Red BOC PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Rubine K 4080 Cromophtal® Rubine TR - ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Rubine K 4085 Irgazin® DPP Rubine TR PR 264 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Yellow K 2060 Irgazin® Yellow 3RLTN PY 110 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Yellow K 2060 FP Cromophtal® Yellow 3RLP PY 110 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Yellow K 2060 SQ PY 110 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Yellow K 2070 Cromophtal® Yellow 2RLTS PY 110 ● ● ● ● ●
Irgazin® Yellow K 2080 Cromophtal® Yellow 2RLP PY 110 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Black 0068 MC Microlen Black 782-MC PBk 7 ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Blue 6907 MC Microlen® Blue 6907-MC PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Blue 6911 MC Microlen® Blue BCS-MC PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Blue 6916 MC PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Blue 7079 MC Microlen® Blue 4GNP-MC PB 15:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Blue 7098 MC Microlen® Blue PD4167-MC PB 15:3 ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Flame Red 3800 MC Microlen® DPP Flame Red FP-MC PR 272 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Green 8730 MC Microlen® Green 8730-MC PG 7  ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Magenta 4535 MC Microlen® Magenta RT-235-MC PR 202 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Orange 2910 MC Microlen® DPP Orange TR-MC PO 71 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Orange 2960 MP Microlen® Orange GP-MP PO 64 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Pink 4430 MC Microlen® Pink PT-MC PR 122 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Red 3840 LW MC Microlen® Red 2028-MC PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Red 3840 MC Microlen® Red 2030-MC PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Red 3845 LW MC Microlen® DPP Red BOC-MC PR 254 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Red 3890 MC Microlen® Red BRN-MC PR 144 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Red 3890 MCQ Microlen® Red BRN-MCQ PR 144 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Red 4060 MC Microlen® Red 2BSH-MC PR 48:3  ● SST ● ●
Microlen® Red 4104 MC Microlen® Red 2020-MC PV 19 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Red 4170 MC Microlen® Red 2BPH-MC PR 48:2 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Red 4330 MC Microlen® Red RT-195-MC - ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Rubine 4085 MC Microlen® DPP Rubine TR-MC PR 264 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Rubine 4270 MC Microlen® Rubine 4BP-MC PR 57:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Yellow 1070 MC Microlen® Yellow WGP-MC PY 168 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Yellow 1210 MC Microlen® Yellow 3G-MC PY 93 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Yellow 1210 MCQ Microlen® Yellow 3G-MCQ PY 93 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Yellow 1410 MC PY 180 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Yellow 1500 MC Microlen® Yellow GR-MC PY 95 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlen® Yellow 2070 MC Microlen® Yellow 2RLTS-MC PY 110 ● ● ● ● ●

12│28
 Pigments for Plastics

BASF Colorants for toys Toys for children

under 3 years and Toys for children above 3 years
toys for mouth and no mouth contact
contact
Status: July 2014 European Union Europe USA Australia

Norm 71-3, 2002

Norm 71-3, 2013

ISO8124.3:2003
1935/2004/EC

ASTM 963-07
Product Old product name C.I. Name

AS/NZS
– Art. 3
Microlen® Yellow 2070 MCQ Microlen® Yellow 2RLTS-MCQ PY 110 ● ● ● ● ●
Microlith® Blue 7080 KP Microlith® Blue 4G-KP PB 15:3 ● ● ● ●
Microlith® Brown 3001 KP Microlith® Brown 5R-KP PBr 23 ● ● ● ●
Microlith® Green 8750 KP Microlith® Green G-KP PG 7 ● ● ● ●
Microlith® Red 3840 KP Microlith® DPP Red B-KP PR 254 ● ● ● ●
Microlith® Red 3890 KP Microlith® Red BR-KP PR 144 ● ● ● ●
Microlith® Scarlet 3540 KP Microlith® Scarlet R-KP PR 166 ● ● ● ●
Microlith® Yellow 2060 KP Microlith® Yellow 3R-KP PY 110 ● ● ● ●
Microlith® Yellow 1210 KP Microlith® Yellow 3G-KP PY 93 ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Blue 640 Thermoplast Blue 684 SV 13 ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Blue 690 Oracet® Blue PD2104 SB 104 ● ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Orange 220 Oracet® Orange ES SO 116 ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Orange 230 Oracet® Orange G SO 60 ● ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Red 344 Oracet® Red GN SR 135 ● ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Red 454 Thermoplast Red 454 SR 195 ● ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Violet 580 Oracet® Violet TR SV 13 ● ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Yellow 125 Oracet® Yellow PD 2114 SY 114 ● ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Yellow 140 Oracet® Yellow RB PY 147 ● ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Yellow 144 FE Filester® Yellow RNB PY 147 ● ● ● ● ●
Oracet® Yellow 180 Oracet® Yellow GHS SY 163 ● ● ● ● ●
Paliogen® Red K 3911 Paliogen® Red K 3911 HD PR 178 ● ● ● ● ●
Paliogen® Red K 4180 PR 179 ● ● ● ● ●
Paliotol® Orange K 2920 PO 79 ● ● ● ●
Paliotol® Yellow K 0961 Paliotol® Yellow K 0961 HD PY 138  ● ● ● ●
Paliotol® Yellow K 1070 Irgalite® Yellow WGP PY 168 ● ● ● ● ●
Paliotol® Yellow K 1760 FP Cromophtal® Yellow HRPN PY 191:1 ● ● ● ● ●
Paliotol® Yellow K 1800 Paliotol® Yellow K 2270 PY 183 ● ● ● ● ●
Paliotol® Yellow K 1841 PY 139  ● ● ● ●
Paliotol® Yellow K 1841 FP PY 139  ● ● ● ●
Rightfit® Red K 3790 PR 276 ● ● ● ●
Rightfit® Red K 4350 PR 277 ● ● ● ●
Sicopal® Black K 0095 PBr 29 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicopal® Blue K 6210 PB 28 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicopal® Blue K 6310 PB 28 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicopal® Blue K 7210 PB 36 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicopal® Brown K 2595 PY 119 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicopal® Brown K 2795 PBr 29 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicopal® Brown K 2795 FG PBr 29 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicopal® Orange K 2430 PO 82 ● ● SST ●
Sicopal® Yellow 1120 FG PY 184 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Brown K 2611 PY 164 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Brown K 2711 PY 164 ● ● SST ● ●

13│28
Colorants Portfolio for Sensitive Applications in Plastics

BASF Colorants for toys Toys for children

under 3 years and Toys for children above 3 years
toys for mouth and no mouth contact
contact
Status: July 2014 European Union Europe USA Australia

Norm 71-3, 2002

Norm 71-3, 2013

ISO8124.3:2003
1935/2004/EC

ASTM 963-07
Product Old product name C.I. Name

AS/NZS
– Art. 3
Sicotan® Brown K 2755 PY 53 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 1010 PY 53 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 1011 PY 53 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 1011 FG PY 53 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 2001 PBr 24 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 2001 FG PBr 24 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 2011 PBr 24 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 2011 FG PBr 24 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 2107 PBr 24 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 2111 PBr 24 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 2111 FG PBr 24 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 2112 PBr 24 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotan® Yellow K 2112 FG PBr 24 ● ● SST ● ●
Sicotrans® Red K 2819 PR 101 ● ● ● ● ●
Sicotrans® Red K 2915 PR 101 ● ● ● ● ●

● Compliant
○ Not Compliant
 Compliant with use restrictions, for more information please contact [email protected].
SST Status Statement Toys (EN 71-3:2013 Heavy Metal Status Statement)

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3 Legislations for Food Contact Materials

3.1 EU legislations

Figure 1: Overview of the EU legislation for Food Contact Materials

European Regulations are directly binding to all 27 Member States. In addition to the direct members of the
European Union, some countries within Europe are transforming these regulations into their national law, e.g.
Switzerland.

3.1.1 All Food Contact Materials and Articles

Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004, the framework regulation on materials and articles intended to come into
contact with food, sets general requirements for all food contact materials.
Framework Regulation sets following rules:
 General safety principles
 Groups of food contact materials and articles
 Procedure for authorization
 Establishment of an European Reference Laboratory for food contact materials
 Mandates the development of implementing measures for specific requirements
General safety principles of the Framework Regulation
The Framework Regulation - in force since 3 December 2004 - requires that food contact materials:
 Meet Article 3 of the regulation: Must not transfer their components into food in quantities that could
endanger human health, change food composition in an unacceptable way or deteriorate its taste and odor.
 Are manufactured according to good manufacturing practice as detailed in The Good Manufacturing Practice
Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 that sets down the requirements/principles of good manufacturing practices
for all food contact materials and articles.
 An article intended for food contact must be labelled or bear the glass-and-fork symbol. This labelling is not
obligatory if food contact is obvious by the article's nature e.g. knife, fork, wine glass.
 Labelling, advertising and presentation of food contact materials must not mislead consumers.

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 Accompanied by a “Declaration of Compliance” containing information on the appropriate use of food contact
materials or articles, if necessary. (Article 16)
 Are traceable throughout the production chain.

3.1.2 Plastic Food Contact Materials and Articles

Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food and
amendments sets the rules for plastic food contact materials. This regulation is commonly known as the “PIM”
or Plastics Implementation Measure. It is one of the implementing measures mandated by the Framework
Regulation and addresses plastics specifically.
The Regulation entered in force on May 11, 2011 and foresees transitional provisions up to January 1, 2016.
By then all Food Contact Materials and Articles on the market will have to fulfill the requirements of the
Regulation (EU) No 10/2011.
What the Regulation covers:
 Plastic materials and articles, whether or not printed and coated
 Plastic multi-layer materials and articles held together by adhesives or by other means, whether or not
printed and coated
 Plastic layers or plastic coatings, forming gaskets in caps and closures, that make a set of two or more layers
of different types of materials
 Plastic layers in multi-material multi-layer materials and articles
Rules set by the Regulation:
 Union list of authorized monomers and additives for use in plastics manufacture
 Restrictions and specification for authorized substances including specific migration limits
 Rules on non-intentionally added substances i.e. impurities and reaction products
 Overall migration limit
 Rules on compliance especially migration testing, listing simulants, testing conditions
 The concept of functional barrier
 Authorization for nano-materials before use
 Declaration of compliance and supporting documentation
As mentioned in the Union Guideline to Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 published in February 2014 “Even though
colorants fall under the definition of additives, they are not covered by the Union list of substances. Colorants
used in plastics are covered by national measures. However, they have to comply with the general safety
requirements of Article 3 of the Framework Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 and are subject to risk assessment
in accordance with Article 19 of the Plastics Regulation (EU) No 10/2011.
“Article 19”
Assessment of substances not included in the Union list
Compliance with Article 3 of Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 of substances referred to in Articles 6(1), 6(2), 6(4),
6(5) and 14(2) of this Regulation which are not covered by an inclusion in Annex I to this Regulation shall be
assessed in accordance with internationally recognized scientific principles on risk assessment.”

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3.1.3 Council of Europe Resolutions

The Council of Europe has established general recommendations for various types of materials which are
frequently used in production, distribution, processing and consumption of foodstuffs. The following (non-
plastic) materials have been addressed: coatings, cork, glass, inks, metals and alloys, paper and board, resins
for ion exchange and adsorption, rubber, silicones.
For all materials, the requirement is present that they should not transfer their constituents to foodstuffs in
quantities which could endanger human health, bring about unacceptable change in composition or
deterioration of organoleptic characteristics. Specific requirements are set in the supplementary Technical
Documents and substance inventories can be found in the Appendixes of the resolutions. The substance
inventories are based on notifications by industry or national authorities. Listed substances have not
necessarily been risk assessed.
All resolutions are not legally binding. They have the character of a guideline, as long as they are not
transferred into national law.
Resolution AP(89)1
Resolution AP(89)1 applies to the use of colorants in plastic materials and articles coming into contact with
food.
The Resolution defines purity requirements for pigments including concentration limits for extractable heavy
metals, primary aromatic amines (PAA) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB).

Impurity Limit (ppm)

Antimony (Sb) 500
Arsenic (As) 100
Barium (Ba) 100
Cadmium (Cd) 100
Chromium (Cr III) 1000
Lead (Pb) 100
Mercury (Hg) 50
Selenium (Se) 100
Primary aromatic amines (PAA) 500
Polychlorinated biphenyls (PCB) 25

3.2 France
The French Authority issued a document titled “Matériaux au contact des denrées alimentaires, produits de
nettoyage de ces matériaux” – Edition (July 2002) No. 1227.
French Positive List for Plastic Materials
In Circular No. 176 of December 2, 1959 the French Ministry of Agriculture published a list of colorants which
can be used for the coloration of food packaging in France. Since then, this list has frequently been revised.
For the complete list of pigments with their use limitations (e.g. concentration, type of polymers, etc.) it is
necessary in each case to consult the document No. 1227.
It should be noted that the colorants in the French Positive List generally are listed according to their Color
Index classification (generic names and constitution numbers). If not, it is under their CAS number (Chemical
Abstract Service) and/or French chemical name. French authorities have not yet established their country-
specific rules into the European Union, where colorants themselves are not yet regulated. Establishment of
these rules would require an official notification agreed by all member states in order to avoid the creation of
potential trade barriers.

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The current French positive list split in A and B (Projet d’Arrêté) can be considered as a draft, and should be
taken in the scope of a recommendation (non-complete list). Nevertheless, the colorants have to fulfil the
requirements of Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004.

3.3 Germany
In BfR Recommendation IX, colorants for plastic food contact materials are defined as all substances that have
coloring properties, including those possibly used as vehicle or production & processing aids, as well as any
technically unavoidable contaminants.
Therefore, a list of productions and processing aids is included with maximum use levels. For the colorants
themselves, purity requirements on metal release and primary aromatic amines are established. In addition,
any release of colored substances is not allowed.

3.4 Italy
In Italy the national regulation Decreto Ministeriale 21/3/73 as latest amended (Decree 23/04/09) has to be met
for various food contact materials like plastic, paper, rubber etc. For colorants in plastic food contact materials
purity limits are required in the same way as in the Council or Europe Resolution AP(89)1 i.e. heavy metals,
primary aromatic amines (PAA) and Polychlorinated Biphenyls (PCB).

3.5 Australia
AS 2070-1999: Plastic materials for food contact uses.
This standard specifies materials and the procedures for use during the various stages of production of plastic
materials, coating and printing of plastic items for food contact and subsequent use. Part 9.2 deals with
colorants and states that colorants shall comply with the Council of Europe Resolution AP(89)1.

3.6 Canada
In Canada, colorants are not subject to specific regulations; hence there is no “positive list”. However, a
regulation does exist which constitutes a guideline for packaging materials. It can be found under Division 23 of
the Food and Drug Regulations, Section B23.001.
In case more information is required, please contact [email protected].

3.7 China
Regulatory Framework in China
In China, food contact materials (FCMs) are regulated under the Chinese Food Safety Law issued in 2009.
Article 32, together with article 62, of the Food Safety Law prohibits the importation, use, or purchase of food-
related products (e.g., food additive, food packaging materials) not complying with applicable Chinese Food
Safety Standards.
Finished articles usually need to be tested with appropriate food stimulants related to real use conditions (type
of food, temperature) to demonstrate compliance.
Positive List of Food Contact Additives and Colorants
The most important food safety standard for food contact additives in China is GB 9685-2008 “Hygienic
Standards for Uses of Additives in Food Containers and Packaging Materials”.
China GB 9685-2008 provides a positive list of food contact additives and additional limits such as SML
(Specific Migration Limit) and QM (Maximum Quantity allowed). where colorants are considered as “Food
contact additives” and therefore must be listed. Since GB 9685 does not differentiate between direct or indirect
contact. Many inks or adhesives to be used in food packaging materials and not intended to be in direct contact
with food are also affected by this standard.

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3.8 India
In India the new Food Safety and Standards (packaging and labelling) regulations became effective in 2011
bringing the food safety regulation to a federal level with the new authority FSSAI. The major restrictions/
limitations of a substance to be used for food contact materials are still captured in the Indian Standards issued
by the BIS Bureau of Indian Standards. As an example the standard for pigments and colorants is listed here:
IS 9833:1981 – List of Pigments & Colorants for Use in Plastics in Contact with Foodstuffs, Pharmaceuticals &
Drinking Water (Draft) – 01/Apr/2012. Via the link to the regulation the former voluntary standards are now
regarded as mandatory.
In case more information is required, please contact [email protected].

3.9 Japan
In Japan there are government regulations (e.g. Food Sanitation Law) for food packaging and toys. The
industry has published recommendations which are accepted by all involved parties and conform to the
regulations.
The Japan Hygienic PVC Association (JHPA) mentions in its Positive List for PVC the chemical constitutions as
well as the Color Index denomination.
Contrary to this, the Japan Hygienic Olefin Styrene Plastics Association (JHOSPA) registers products with their
trade names only. Chemically identical products with different names are thus not accepted.

3.10 Mercosul/Mercosur
In the South-American region colorants for plastic food contact materials have to meet the requirements of the
Mercosul/Mercosur GMC Resolución N° 15/2010, implemented e.g. in Brazil (Resolução RDC N° 52/2010).
These are purity limits similar to the Council of Europe Resolution AP(89)1. However, more elements and partly
different analytical methods have to be considered.
In case more information is required, please contact [email protected].

3.11 USA
Food contact substances (FCS) are regulated by the Food and Drug Administration (FDA) for use in food
contact applications (the colored polymer is in direct contact with the food). These substances were either
regulated in the Code of Federal Regulations (CFR), Title 21, Parts 170–199 or as amended, or are listed on
the FDA’s Inventory of Effective Premarket Notifications website listing the Food Contact Notifications (FCN)
http://www.fda.gov/Food/IngredientsPackagingLabeling/PackagingFCS/Notifications/default.htm.
They have to meet the general provisions of § 174.5 and section 402 applicable to indirect food additives which
are comparable to the requirements of Article 3 of the Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004.
The substances listed in paragraph (e) of 21 CFR 178.3297 may be safely used as colorants in the
manufacture of articles or components of articles intended for use in producing, manufacturing, packing,
processing, preparing, treating, packaging, transporting, or holding food, subject to the following provisions:
(a) The term colorant means a dye, pigment, or other substance that is used to impart color to or to alter the
color of a food contact material, but that does not migrate to food in amounts that will contribute to that
food any color apparent to the naked eye. The term ‘‘colorant’’ includes substances such as optical
brighteners and fluorescent whiteners, which may not themselves be colored, but whose use is intended to
affect the color of a food contact material.
(b) The colorant must be used in accordance with current good manufacturing practice, including use levels
which are not in excess of those reasonably required to accomplish the intended coloring effect.
(c) Colorants listed in 21 CFR 178.3297 must conform to the description and specifications as indicated. If a
polymer described in this section is itself the subject of a regulation promulgated under section 409 of the
Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act, it shall also comply with any specifications and limitations
prescribed by that regulation.

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d) Color additives and their lakes listed for direct use in foods, under the provisions of the color additive
regulations in parts 73, 74, 81, and 82 of this chapter, may also be used as colorants for food contact
polymers.
For more detailed explanation please refer to 7 Appendix: Definitions and Abbreviations.

4 Legislation on Toys
4.1 Europe
The Toy Safety Directive 2009/48/EC (TSD) provides harmonized EU-wide standards on physical and
mechanical properties, flammability, chemical and electrical properties, etc. of toys.
The new TSD 2009/48/EC requires a series of safety assessments, including the Chemical Safety Assessment
(CSA). It broadens the requirements of chemical properties, e.g. migration limits, to 19 chemical elements. The
migration limits for these chemical elements are considerably lower than under the old TSD. In addition, certain
fragrances, CMR substances and nitrosamines are restricted. Toys for children under 3 years and toys for
mouth contact have to fulfil Article 3 of the Framework Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004.
Annex II, Part III of the New TSD and its amendment (Commission Directive 2012/7/EU) for Category I
Migration limits for toys or components of toys (dry, brittle, powder-like or pliable toy materials)

Element Limit (ppm)

Aluminium (Al) 5625
Antimony (Sb) 45
Arsenic (As) 3.8
Barium (Ba) 4500
Boron (B) 1200
Cadmium (Cd) 1.3
Chromium (III) (Cr III) 37.5
Chromium (VI) (Cr IV) 0.02
Cobalt (Co) 10.5
Copper (Cu) 622.5
Lead (Pb) 13.5
Manganese (Mn) 1200
Mercury (Hg) 7.5
Nickel (Ni) 75
Org. Tin (org. Sn) 0.9
Selenium (Se) 37.5
Strontium (Sr) 4500
Tin (Sn) 15000
Zinc (Zn) 3750

4.2 Australia, AS/NZS ISO 8124-3:2010

ISO 8124-3:2010 specifies some maximum acceptable levels, methods of sampling and extraction prior to
analysis for the migration of the elements antimony, arsenic, barium, cadmium, chromium, lead, mercury and
selenium from toy materials and parts of toys.
The maximum acceptable element migration from toy materials is equivalent to the old EN 71-3:2002
requirements as listed in 7 Appendix: Definitions and Abbreviations.

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4.3 USA, ASTM 963-07

All toys in the United States must meet the ASTM F963 safety requirements, Standard Consumer Safety
Specification for Toy Safety. The limits and test method of soluble elements are equivalent to the old EN 71-
3:2002 as listed in 7 Appendix: Definitions and Abbreviations.

5 Other Sensitive Applications

Apart from Food contact Packaging and Toys applications, additional applications can be considered based on
the risk dimensions of their intended use.
The following briefly covers the requirements for some of those applications, detailed by national regulations
when applicable.

5.1 Medical Devices

A medical device is an instrument, apparatus, implant, in vitro reagent, or similar or related article that is used
to diagnose, prevent, or treat disease or other conditions. Medical devices act by mainly physical, mechanical,
or thermal means.
The medical device application is a highly regulated end application. The requirements depend on the risk class
of the end application. The approval of end application requires a considerable amount of data on plastic raw
materials, plastic converting steps and safety assessment of the end article. There is no specific regulation for
all plastic raw materials. Food contact compliance is obligatory for plastic colorants used in medical devices.
In the EU, all medical devices must be identified with the CE mark.

5.2 Pharmaceutical Packaging

Pharmaceutical packaging is a part of the pharmaceutical drug registration. The regulation of pharmaceutical
drugs varies from jurisdiction to jurisdiction. The requirements depend on the risk class of the end application.
Food contact compliance is obligatory for plastic colorants used in pharmaceutical packaging.

5.3 Cosmetic Packaging Applications

The EU Cosmetic Regulation (EC) No 1223/2009 (Annex I, Part A) introduced the requirement to report on
packaging materials, impurities and traces within the product safety information. The product safety information
includes the relevant characteristics of the packaging material, in particular the purity and stability of the final
packaging and its components. Statements are required if prohibited substances are present in trace amounts
and evidence that it is technically unavoidable.

5.4 Drinking Water Applications

Drinking water approvals are applicable to materials and end-articles in contact with drinking water. The
regulatory requirements are country specific. The responsibility rests with the end-article producer. In Europe,
the approval procedures for use with drinking water are regulated by the individual countries. The approvals are
granted by institutes that are authorized to carry out tests and issue certificates on the basis of the
corresponding requirements. The relevant approval regulations include the Recommendations Pertaining to
Plastics and Drinking Water (KTW) as well as the standards of the German Technical and Scientific Association
for Gas and Water (DVGW), the Water Regulations Advisory Scheme (WRAS) in Great Britain, the Certificate
of Sanitation Conformity (ACS) in France and for China, approvals are obtained from the Chinese MOH
(Ministry of Health).
In USA, NSF International (National Science Foundation), an independent US Government agency, carries out
drinking water approvals in accordance with Standard 61 (NSF61) The NSF tests and certifies all products
within the entire drinking water system.

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6 Disclaimer
For notice:
Appropriate processing conditions for the articles have to be applied. The suitability of the articles for the
application concerned, including their effect on smell and taste of the food, and observance of any given
limitations (for example overall migration, specific limits and other analytical requirements) must be tested and
ensured in each case by the person who introduces the articles into circulation. Since our products are
manufactured on an industrial scale, the presence of traces of impurities cannot be ruled out. Kindly also take
note of the fact that analysis of our product for compliance with the above mentioned legislation is not routinely
carried out for each lot. It is performed randomly and on the basis of standardized tests. Therefore, regulatory
compliance is not part of our quality control nor part of the product Specification or the Certificate of Analysis.

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7 Appendix: Definitions and Abbreviations

Pigments
According to DIN 55943: 2001-10 is a pigment “particulate substance which is practically insoluble in the
medium in which it is incorporated, used as a colorant or due to its anti-corrosion and magnetic properties.”

Dyes
“Dyes” is a collective term for colorants soluble in solvents and/or binders.

Colorants (ETAD Definition)

A colorant is a product intended to impart or modify the color of a substrate. In order to do it, the colorant will
possess the ability to change the color of reflected or transmitted light as the result of wavelength-selective
absorption.
In addition, a colorant may also contain deliberately added components, which
 Maintain the properties of the colorant during production and use;
 Influence specific properties of the colorant as fitting to its application.
These added components should be termed as colorant additives.
Furthermore, depending on the production process, a colorant may also contain certain non-intentionally
added substances (NIAS) e.g. residues of starting materials, byproducts … These NIAS are not intended to
have a technical effect in the substrate to which the colorant is applied.

EU Food Contact Materials

As defined in the EU Framework Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004.
Materials and articles which in their finished state
 Are intended to be brought into contact with food
 Are already in contact with food and were intended for that purpose
 Can reasonably be expected to be brought into contact with food or to transfer their constituents to food
under normal or foreseeable conditions of use
Examples
 Food packaging and containers, kitchen equipment, cutlery and dishes
 Processing equipment, such as coffee makers or production machinery
 Containers used in transport of food
EU legislation for food contact materials covers materials in contact with water intended for human
consumption, e.g. bottles, with the exception of fixed public or private water supply equipment.

NIAS (Non Intentionally Added Substances)

As defined in the Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact
with food.
“NIAS” stands for Not-Intentionally Added Substance and is an impurity in the substances used or a reaction
intermediate formed during the production process or a decomposition or reaction product.

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Examples of NIAS in products are:

 Impurities
Present in the raw materials or solvents
 Reaction products
Formed during the synthesis of the additive or pigment
Formed during the manufacturing and use of plastic materials and articles
Formed during the storage and manufacturing of polymers
 Degradation products

FCS (Food Contact Substances)

As defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in section 409 of the Federal Food, Drug, and
Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
Any substance intended for use as a component of materials used in manufacturing, packing, packaging,
transporting, or holding food if such use is not intended to have a technical effect in such food (formerly known
as indirect food additives). Common types of food contact substances include coatings, plastics, paper,
adhesives, as well as colorants, antimicrobials, and antioxidants found in packaging.
Hierarchy from Food Contact Substance (FCS) through Food Contact Material (FCM) to Food Contact Article
(FCA):
The Food Contact Substance (FCS) is a single substance, such as a polymer, an antioxidant or colorant in a
polymer. As a substance, it is reasonably pure (the Chemist's definition of substance). Even though a polymer
may be composed of several monomers, it still has a well-defined composition.
Food contact notifications (FCN) are required only for new uses of FCSs that are food additives. Although a
notification is not required for a food contact substance that is GRAS or prior sanctioned for its intended use in
contact with food, some companies do choose to notify the Agency in order to clarify the regulatory status of
such substances.
Unlike food additive regulations and threshold of regulation exemptions (TOR), approvals under the FCN
process are proprietary. This is because Section 409(h)(1)(C) of the FD&C Act states that an FCN is effective
only for the manufacturer and substance identified in the notification. Thus, any person wishing to rely on an
FCN needs to demonstrate that the FCS being marketed has been manufactured or supplied by the
manufacturer identified in the FCN and is being used under the conditions that are the subject of the FCN
Food Contact Material (FCM) is made with the FCS and (usually) other substances. It is often (but not
necessarily) a mixture, such as an antioxidant in a polymer. The composition may be variable.
The Food Contact Article is the finished film, bottle, tray, or whatever that is formed out of the FCM.

GRAS (Generally Recognized As Safe)

“GRAS” is an acronym for the phrase Generally Recognized As Safe.
As defined by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA) in sections 201(s) and 409 of the Federal Food,
Drug, and Cosmetic Act (FD&C Act).
Any substance that is intentionally added to food is a food additive and subject to premarket review and
approval by FDA, unless the substance is generally recognized, among qualified experts, as having been
adequately shown to be safe under the conditions of its intended use, or unless the use of the substance is
otherwise excluded from the definition of a food additive.
For example, substances whose use meets the definition of a pesticide, a dietary ingredient of a dietary
supplement, a color additive, a new animal drug, or a substance approved for such use prior to September 6,
1958, are excluded from the definition of food additive.

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Sections 201(s) and 409 were enacted in 1958 as part of the Food Additives Amendment to the FD&C Act.
While it is impracticable to list all ingredients whose use is generally recognized as safe, FDA published a
partial list of food ingredients whose use is generally recognized as safe to aid the industry's understanding of
what did not require approval.
Section 174.5(d)(1) of the Food Additive Regulations states that substances generally recognized as safe
“among experts qualified by scientific training and experience to evaluate their safety”, under conditions of good
manufacturing practices, are permitted to be used as components of articles that contact food.
Parts 182, 184, and 186 of the Food Additive Regulations list many substances that are recognized or affirmed
as GRAS by FDA. Section 182.1 of the Food Additive Regulations makes it clear that those listed are by way of
illustration and do not represent an all-inclusive list. The absence of a substance from the list does not preclude
an independent determination that the substance is GRAS when used in a particular application. For example,
any substance generally recognized as safe in or on food is also permitted to be used under conditions of good
manufacturing practice as a component of articles that contact food. 21 CFR §174.5(d)(1).
FDA has codified requirements for the classification of substances as GRAS under 21 C.F.R. § 170.30(a). As
stated therein, general recognition of safety must be based on:
(1) Scientific procedures, or
(2) In the case of a substance used in food prior to January 1, 1958, through experience based on common
use in food.
General recognition of safety requires a “common knowledge” about the substance throughout the scientific
community knowledgeable about the safety of substances directly or indirectly added to food. For substances
not widely used in food prior to 1958, general recognition of safety based on “scientific procedures” requires the
same quantity and quality of scientific evidence as is required to obtain approval of a food additive regulation
for the ingredient. Unlike a food additive petition, however, general recognition of safety is ordinarily based on
published studies which may be corroborated by unpublished studies and other data and information.
The exclusion of substances which are GRAS from the definition of the term “food additive” means that such
substances do not require pre-clearance by FDA under Section 409 of the Act. If a manufacturer determines
that a particular substance is GRAS, he is free to market the substance without notification to, or approval by,
FDA. Obviously, if FDA should consider the manufacturer's determination of GRAS status to be erroneous, the
Agency can take appropriate regulatory action; in this case the burden of proof would fall upon FDA to
demonstrate that the substance is not GRAS. This is an unlikely consequence unless a real public health
problem presents itself.

TOR (Threshold of Regulation)

The Threshold of Regulation (TOR) lists exemptions that have been issued under 21 CFR 170.39 Threshold of
regulation for substances used in food-contact articles. A substance used in a food contact article may be
exempted by FDA from the need of an FCN or a petition (regulation) as a food additive if the use in question
has been shown to result in a very low concentration (0.5 ppb). Threshold of Regulation Exemptions are
generally applicable and are effective for the food contact substance (FCS) for the listed intended use
regardless of manufacturer or supplier.

Prior Sanctioned Substances

Prior Sanctioned substances under 21 CFR 181 are those substances whose use in contact with food is the
subject of a letter issued by FDA or USDA before 1958 offering no objection to a specific use of a specific
substance.

FCN (Food Contact Notification)

The FCN process has been introduced with the Food and Drug Administration Modernization Act of 1997
(FDAMA). The FCNs are proprietary to the manufacturer for which the notification is effective.

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EU Toy Norm EN 71-3:2002

European standard EN 71, Part 3 (migration of substances from toy materials), lays down limits for heavy
metals that are soluble in 0.07 N hydrochloric acid. The EN 71-3:2002 has been revised in 2013 but is still used
as reference for other Toy regulations in other countries.

Element Limit (ppm)

Antimony (Sb) 60
Arsenic (As) 25
Barium (Ba) 1000
Cadmium (Cd) 75
Chromium (Cr III) 60
Lead (Pb) 90
Mercury (Hg) 60
Selenium (Se) 500

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Note
The descriptions, designs, data and information contained herein are presented in good faith, and are based on
BASF’s current knowledge and experience. They are provided for guidance only, and do not constitute the
agreed contractual quality of the product or a part of BASF’s terms and conditions of sale. Because many
factors may affect processing or application/use of the product, BASF recommends that the readers carry out
their own investigations and tests to determine the suitability of a product for its particular purpose prior to use.
It is the responsibility of the recipient of product to ensure that any proprietary rights and existing laws and
legislation are observed. No warranties of any kind, either expressed or implied, including, but not limited to,
warranties of merchantability or fitness for a particular purpose, are made regarding products described or
designs, data or information set forth herein, or that the products, descriptions, designs, data or information
may be used without infringing the intellectual property rights of others. Any descriptions, designs, data and
information given in this publication may change without prior information. The descriptions, designs, data and
information furnished by BASF hereunder are given gratis and BASF assumes no obligation or liability for the
descriptions, designs, data or information given or results obtained; all such being given and accepted at the
reader’s risk.

® = registered trademark of BASF SE

Asia
BASF East Asia Regional Headquarters Limited
Dispersions and Pigments
45/F Jardine House
No. 1 Connaught Place
Hong Kong
Phone: +852 2731 0111

Europe, Africa and West Asia

BASF SE
Pigments
E-EDC/FK – J550
67056 Ludwigshafen
Deutschland
Phone: +49 621 60 58262

North America
BASF Corporation
24710 West Eleven Mile Road
Southfield, MI 48033
USA
Phone: 800-961-7829

South America
BASF S.A.
Av. das Nacoes Unidas, 14.171, 17o. andar, Morumbi
04794-000 Sao Paolo
Brazil
Phone: +55 11 2039-3166

July 2014 | EDC1114e