High Priority Chemicals of Concern in Industry and Regulation: A Compilation and Analysis of Publicly Available Restricted Substance Lists

Restricted Substance Lists (RSLs) are critical when addressing chemicals of concern (CoCs) in products concerning environmental persistence, bioaccumulation, and human toxicity. No standardized RSL exists in food contact materials (FCMs), though many packaging RSLs have similar compounds and thresholds. This makes it challenging to manufacture products complying with regulatory and diverse RSL requirements. Therefore, compiling these regulated/restricted substances is imperative to formulating a thorough reference for stakeholders and manufacturers. This study surveyed and compiled publicly available RSLs to identify CoCs, considered high priority in FCMs. This study describes regulations, threshold limits, typical FCM applications, from RSLs developed by domestic and international stakeholders and determines the Cramer Classification of listed substances and specifies whether compounds are intentionally or non-intentionally added. This detailed information can guide academics, brand owners, converters, and regulatory agencies to understand CoCs, and navigate the complex landscape of chemical risks to support a sustainable circular economy in FCMs.