The Ceramic Articles in Contact with Food (Wales) Regulations 2006

• Citation: S.I. 2006/1704 (W.)
• Sections: 18

Section 1 Title, Commencement, Extent and Revocation

(1) The title of these Regulations is the Ceramic Articles in Contact with Food (Wales) Regulations 2006, which come into force on 30 June 2006 except for regulation 3(3)(a) and (b) and 4 which come into force on 30 June 2007.

(2) These Regulations apply to Wales.

(3) In the Official Feed and Food Controls (Wales) Regulations 2006 sub-paragraph (b) of Schedule 3 (Definition of relevant food law) is omitted.

Section 2 Interpretation

In these Regulations—

“ceramic article” (“ eitem geramig ”) means an article—

manufactured from a mixture of inorganic materials with a generally high argillaceous or silicate content to which small quantities of organic materials may have been added. Such an article is first shaped and the shape thus obtained is permanently fixed by firing. It may be glazed, enamelled and/or decorated;

which, in its finished state, is intended to come into contact with foodstuffs, or which is in contact with foodstuffs, and is intended for that purpose;

but does not include an article which is supplied as an antique;

“the Community” (“ y Gymuned ”) means the member States and Norway, Iceland and Liechtenstein;

“enforcement authority” (“ awdurdod gorfodi ”) means an authority mentioned in regulation 5;

“import” (“ mewnforio ”) means the release into the UK for free circulation in the Community;

“place on the market” (“ rhoi ar y farchnad ”) means the holding of ceramic articles for sale, including offering for sale or any other form of transfer, whether free of charge or not, and the sale, distribution and other forms of transfer themselves.

Section 3 Limits on the transfer of lead and cadmium

(1) The quantities of lead and cadmium transferred from a ceramic article must not exceed the limits laid down in Schedule 1.

(2) Compliance with paragraph (1) is to be determined by testing and analysis in accordance with Schedule 2 unless it is demonstrated that the materials used to make the ceramic articles did not contain lead or cadmium.

(3) No person may—

(a) manufacture,

(b) import, or

(c) place on the market,

a ceramic article which does not comply with the requirements in paragraph (1).

Section 4 Declaration of Compliance

(1) A manufacturer or seller of a ceramic article which is not yet in contact with food must provide a written declaration in accordance with Schedule 3 to accompany the article at the marketing stages up to and including the retail stage.

(2) The declaration must be issued by the manufacturer or by a seller established within the Community.

(3) The manufacturer or importer of a ceramic article into the Community must on request make available to an enforcement authority appropriate documentation to demonstrate compliance with the requirements of regulation 3(1) including—

(a) the results of analysis carried out,

(b) the test conditions, and

(c) the name and address of the laboratory that performed the testing, or

(d) evidence that the materials used to make the ceramic article did not contact lead or cadmium

(4) This regulation does not apply to a ceramic article which is second-hand.

Section 5 Enforcement

The following authorities are to execute and enforce these Regulations—

(a) each food authority in its area;

(b) each port health authority in its district.

Section 6 Offences and penalties

(1) A person who contravenes a provision of regulations 3(3) or 4(1) or (3) is guilty of an offence

(2) A person guilty of an offence under paragraph (1) is liable

(a) on conviction on indictment to a fine or to imprisonment for a term not exceeding two years or to both; or

(b) on summary conviction to a fine not exceeding the statutory maximum or to a term of imprisonment not exceeding 6 months or to both.

(3) In proceedings for an offence in respect of failure to comply with regulation 4 it is a defence to prove that the ceramic article to which the offence relates was first placed on the market in the Community before 20 May 2007.

Section 7 Application of the Food Safety Act 1990

(1) The following provisions of the Food Safety Act 1990 apply for the purposes of these Regulations, with reference in those provisions to the Act or a Part of it being construed as a reference to these Regulations—

(a) section 20 (offences due to fault of another person);

(b) section 21(1), (5) and (6) (defence of due diligence);

(c) section 33 (obstruction etc of officers);

(d) Section 34 of the Food Safety Act 1990 (time limit for prosecutions) applies to offences under regulations 6 as it applies to offences punishable under section 35(2).

(e) section 35(1) , (2) and (3)(b) (punishment of offences) in so far as it relates to offences under section 33 as applied by this regulation;

(f) section 36 (offences by bodies corporate);

(g) section 36A (offences by Scottish partnerships);

(h) section 44 (protection of officers acting in good faith).

Section 1 Test liquid (“simulant”)

4% (v/v) acetic acid, in a freshly prepared aqueous solution.

Section 1 Object and field of application

The method allows the specific migration of lead and/or cadmium to be determined.

Section 2 Test conditions

(1) Carry out the test at a temperature of 22 ± 2° for a duration of 24 ± 0.5 hours.

(2) When the migration of lead is to be determined, cover the sample by an appropriate means of protection and expose it to the usual lighting conditions in a laboratory.

(3) When the migration of cadmium or of lead and cadmium is to be determined, cover the sample so as to ensure that the surface to be tested is kept in total darkness.

Section 2 Principle

The determination of the specific migration of lead and/or cadmium is carried out by an instrumental method of analysis that fulfils the performance criteria of paragraph 4.

Section 3 Filling

(1) Samples which can be filled—

(a) Fill the article with a 4% (v/v) acetic acid solution to a level no more than 1mm from the overflow point; the distance is measured from the upper rim of the sample.

(b) Samples with a flat or slightly sloping rim should be filled so that the distance between the surface of the liquid and the overflow point is no more than 6mm measured along the sloping rim.

(2) Samples which cannot be filled

The surface of the sample which is not intended to come into contact with foodstuffs is first covered with a suitable protective layer able to resist the action of the 4% (v/v) acetic acid solution. The sample is then immersed in a receptacle containing a known volume of acetic acid solution in such a way that the surface intended to come into contact with the foodstuffs is completely covered by the test liquid.

Section 3 Reagents

(1) All reagents must be of analytical quality, unless otherwise specified.

(2) Where reference is made to water, it will always mean distilled water or water of equivalent quality.

(3) 4 % (v/v) acetic acid, in aqueous solution; add 40 ml of glacial acetic acid to water and make up to 1 000 ml.

(4) Stock solutions: prepare stock solutions containing 1 000 mg/litre of lead and at least 500 mg/litre of cadmium respectively in a 4 % acetic acid solution, as referred to in sub-paragraph (3).

Section 4 Determination of the surface area

The surface area of the articles in category 1 is equal to the surface area of the meniscus formed by the free liquid surface obtained by complying with the filling requirements set out in paragraph 3.

Section 4 Performance criteria of the instrumental method of analysis

(1) The detection limit for lead and cadmium must be equal to or lower than—

(a) 0,1 mg/litre for lead,

(b) 0,01 mg/litre for cadmium.

The detection limit is defined as the concentration of the element in the 4 % acetic acid solution, as referred to in paragraph 3(3), which gives a signal equal to twice the background noise of the instrument.

(2) The limit of quantification for lead and cadmium must be equal to or lower than—

(a) 0,2 mg/litre for lead,

(b) 0,02 mg/litre for cadmium.

(3) Recovery: the recovery of lead and cadmium added to the 4 % acetic acid solution, as referred to in paragraph 3(3), must lie within 80-120 % of the added amount.

(4) Specificity: the instrumental method of analysis used must be free from matrix and spectral interferences.

Section 5 Method

(1) Preparation of the sample—

(a) the sample must be clean and free from grease or other matter likely to affect the test;

(b) Wash the sample in a solution containing a household liquid detergent at a temperature of approximately 40 °C. Rinse the sample first in tap-water and then in distilled water or water of equivalent quality. Drain and dry so as to avoid any stain. The surface to be tested is not to be handled after it has been cleaned.

(2) Determination of lead and/or cadmium—

(a) the sample thus prepared is tested under the conditions laid down in Schedule I;

(b) before taking the test solution for determining lead and/or cadmium, homogenise the content of the sample by an appropriate method, which avoids any loss of solution or abrasion of the surface being tested;

(c) carry out a blank test on the reagent used for each series of determinations;

(d) carry out determinations for lead and/or cadmium under appropriate conditions.

Section 1

(1) The written declaration referred to in regulation 4(1) must contain the following information—

(2) the identity and address of the company which manufactured the finished ceramic article and (if applicable) of the importer who imports it or them into the Community;

(3) the identity of the ceramic article(s);

(4) the date of the declaration;

(5) confirmation that the ceramic article(s) meets the relevant requirements in:—

(a) these Regulations; or

(b) Council Directive 84/500/ EEC of 15 October 1984 on the approximation of the laws of the Member States relating to ceramic articles intended to come into contact with foodstuffs as amended by Commission Directive 2005/31/EC of 29 April 2005 ; and

(c) Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 October on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food and repealing Directives 80/590/EEC and 89/109/EEC .

Section 2

The written declaration will permit an easy identification of the article(s) for which it is issued and must be renewed when substantial changes in the production bring about changes in the migration of lead and cadmium.