AIMPLAS and FAKOLITH have launched the SAFE-ED Coatings project, an initiative aimed at developing new coating technologies that eliminate or drastically reduce the migration of Bisphenol A (BPA) and other endocrine disruptors in food, beverage, drinking water and construction applications.
The project comes as regulators worldwide move towards stricter controls on BPA and related substances due to growing evidence of their potential impact on human and animal hormonal and reproductive systems. In Europe, the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) has recommended a significant reduction in the tolerable daily intake of BPA, while authorities in the United States are also reviewing potential new limits. At the same time, new European and national regulations are increasing pressure on industries that rely on bisphenol-based materials.
Coordinated by FAKOLITH, with the participation of AIMPLAS, the Plastics Technology Centre, the SAFE-ED Coatings project seeks to develop up to four coating systems capable of reducing endocrine disruptor migration to undetectable levels below 1 part per billion or eliminating it entirely. The coatings are being designed for a range of applications, including construction and civil engineering surfaces, food processing facilities, drinking water infrastructure, and direct food and beverage contact.
“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,” said Marta García, R&D&I Director at FAKOLITH.
The project addresses a challenge facing manufacturers of epoxy coatings and other products that traditionally depend on bisphenol-based resins and additives. As regulatory requirements tighten, companies are being forced to identify alternative materials that maintain performance while complying with emerging safety standards.
FAKOLITH, which specialises in coatings for surfaces that come into direct and indirect contact with food, beverages and drinking water, is leading the formulation and development work. The company is applying strategies based on the elimination, reduction and encapsulation of endocrine disruptors. Development activities began with a pool of 80 raw materials, with the project aiming for at least 60 of those materials to meet direct food-contact requirements while remaining suitable for the new coating systems.
AIMPLAS is contributing expertise in regulatory compliance, testing and risk assessment. The technology centre has evaluated the regulatory status of candidate raw materials, defined testing requirements and is adapting analytical methodologies to meet increasingly stringent migration limits.
“We are adapting and expanding our testing methodologies for coatings in order to meet the new regulatory limits,” said Mª Carmen Moreno, researcher at the Food Contact and Packaging Laboratory at AIMPLAS.
According to the project partners, SAFE-ED Coatings is expected to support industries particularly affected by new restrictions on endocrine disruptors, including food processing, healthcare, construction, civil engineering and drinking water infrastructure. Beyond improving safety, the initiative is also intended to encourage the adoption of more sustainable coating formulations, including bio-based alternatives, while helping manufacturers maintain compliance with current and future regulations.
The project is scheduled for completion by the end of 2026. It is funded by the European Union’s NextGenerationEU programme through Spain’s Recovery, Transformation and Resilience Plan, with support from the State Research Agency (AEI) of the Spanish Ministry of Science, Innovation and Universities.
