Fakolith, in coordination with Aimplas, the Plastics Technology Centre, has launched the SAFE-ED Coatings project to develop coating systems that reduce or eliminate the migration of endocrine disruptors (EDs), including Bisphenol A (BPA) and its derivatives, from surfaces used in construction, civil engineering, food industry installations, and applications in direct contact with drinking water, food and beverages. The project aims to develop up to four coating systems capable of reducing endocrine disruptor migration to undetectable levels (<1 ppb) or eliminating it entirely, while maintaining functionality, and is set to conclude at the end of 2026.

The project comes amid unprecedented international concern over EDs, persistent substances capable of altering the hormonal and reproductive systems of humans and animals, which are undergoing intensive scientific and regulatory review. In Europe, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recommended reducing the tolerable daily intake of BPA by 100,000 times, while US authorities (FDA) are also studying new limits. Regulations including Directive (EU) 2020/2184, Spain’s recent Royal Decree 3/2023, and ongoing work by ECHA point toward tighter restrictions affecting food, beverages, drinking water and a range of industrial and consumer products.

Sectors highly dependent on bisphenol-based resins and additives, such as epoxy coatings, are facing a significant transformation as a result. SAFE-ED Coatings was launched to provide a technical, health and regulatory response to this new scenario.

Marta García, R&D &I director at Fakolith, said “the speed at which legislation is evolving means that many existing solutions are becoming obsolete. The coatings sector needs safe and functional alternatives, and SAFE-ED Coatings will make it possible to anticipate these changes with viable technologies for industry and properly certified market-ready solutions.” Mª Carmen Moreno, researcher at the Food Contact and Packaging Laboratory at Aimplas, said “we are adapting and expanding our testing methodologies for coatings in order to meet the new regulatory limits.”

Fakolith, a specialist in coatings for surfaces in direct and indirect contact with food, beverages and drinking water, is leading the development and formulation of the new systems, focusing on the principles of elimination, reduction and encapsulation of endocrine disruptors. The project began with a pool of no fewer than 80 raw materials, of which at least 60 (75%) are expected to meet the requirements for direct food contact while also being functional for the new coating systems.

Aimplas is contributing its expertise in legislation and risk assessment. The technology centre has evaluated the regulatory documentation of the raw materials, defined the necessary tests in accordance with current regulations and upcoming updates, and is applying advanced methodologies to adapt standards applicable to coatings and achieve increasingly stringent regulatory limits (<1 ppb).

Faced with one of the most significant regulatory changes in recent years in the field of food safety, SAFE-ED Coatings is positioned as a strategic project intended to help the industry move toward high-performance, sustainable and safe coatings, ensuring compliance with both current and future regulations.

SAFE-ED Coatings is expected to have a direct impact on sectors particularly exposed to the new restrictions, including the food industry, construction, civil engineering, healthcare and drinking water facilities. The project aims to strengthen safety in surfaces that come into direct and indirect contact with food, beverages and drinking water through the reduction and elimination of endocrine disruptor migration. It also aims to promote the incorporation of more sustainable alternatives based on bio-based materials, support the operational continuity of industrial applications affected by the recent prohibition and restriction of bisphenols, and facilitate knowledge transfer to manufacturers, applicators and the wider specialized coatings value chain.

The project is funded by the European Union – NextGenerationEU through the Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, with support from the State Research Agency (AEI) of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.