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ABPC
Newsletter
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Volume 7, Number 4
The Association of British Pewter Craftsmen
October 2013
New EU Regulations on leaching and
testing
The long-awaited European Directorate for the Quality of Medicines & Healthcare
(EDQM) – Metals and alloys used in food contact materials and articles - has
recently been issued. This note, prepared by Richard Abdy, Chairman of ABPC, is
intended to be followed up with a more detailed analysis of the EDQM, so far as it
relates to pewter, in the near future.
The EDQM specifies the Specific Release Limit (SRL) of metallic
elements into food and drink contained within the receptacle,;
and the Regulations are organised by metallic element.
Those of relevance to pewter are as follows:
Tin - Pewter (not mentioned directly again in the EDQM) is
directly referred to in the tin section as follows:
“Pewter may contain lead as a contaminant, which can also be
released. Antique pewter may have been manufactured using
lead-containing alloys, but this is not the case with modern pewter.
Today, maximum levels of lead are specified for lead-containing
pewter.”
The conclusion of the section is: “the SRL for tin is set, in approximation with Regulation (EC) No.
1881/2006, at 100mg/kg”.
Antimony - Antimony is confirmed as being used in “white metal”; and
pewter is not directly mentioned. However a further regulation concerning
antimony is mentioned in the EDQM in that: “In France, a maximum
permissible antimony content of 2.5% is specified in Information Notice
No. 2004-64 on materials in contact with foodstuffs”.
ABPC members selling pewter items into France should pay particular
attention to this. The conclusion states: “the SRL for antimony is set at
0.04mg/kg”.
Copper - There is no specific mention
of pewter or similar alloys in the copper
section. The conclusion states: “the
SRL for copper is set at 4mg/kg”.
Lead - Given the statement quoted
above associating pewter with lead, I
propose that we should investigate the
SRL of lead for ABPC products.
The lead section of the document quotes a study of “the release of
lead from pewter cups”. The results of that study are quoted, with the
maximum permitted release being set at 1.1mg/litre. The conclusion
states: “the P-SC-EMB decided to set the SRL at 0.01mg/kg”.
Testing
Copper is a chemical
element with the symbol Cu
and atomic number 29. It is
a ductile metal with very
high thermal and electrical
conductivity. Pure copper is
soft and malleable; a freshly
exposed surface has a
reddish-orange colour.
Symbol: Cu
Melting point: 1,085 °C
Electron configuration: [Ar]
3d10 4s1
Atomic number: 29
Atomic mass: 63.546 ±
0.003 u
Members may recollect that the first issue of these Regulations was
withdrawn after first release a couple of years ago, when it was realised that the testing criteria
were largely unworkable. This document includes a chapter entitled: Analytical methods for
release testing of food contact materials and articles made from metals and alloys.
At first sight, the relevant sections for pewter appear to be as follows:
Methods of analysis used for release testing of food contact materials and articles must comply
with the provisions of Annex III of Regulation (EC) No. 882/2004
For materials or articles not yet in contact with food (i.e. non-packaging applications) but intended
to come into repeated contact with foodstuffs, the release test(s) shall be carried out three times in
succession … . Compliance is established on the findings from the third test. This takes account of
the passivation process that some alloys undergo.
Any instructions provided by the manufacturer with regard to pre-treatment of the test specimens,
such as cleaning, must be followed before release testing is performed.
The material or article to be tested shall be brought into contact with the
intended foodstuff, if available. If no particular foodstuff has been
indicated, a representative foodstuff should be selected, especially one
having an equivalent pH value and organic acid, salt, fat and alcohol
content.
There should be prior knowledge of the natural concentration of the
metals in the foodstuffs to be tested.
The article should be filled to approximately 2/3 total capacity and then
covered to reduce evaporation
Articles should be tested under actual conditions of use, or if not
applicable, by applying the following conditions: the article should be
tested over a period of 10 days at 40 degrees C.
Tin is a chemical
element with symbol
Sn and atomic number
50. It is a main group
metal in group 14 of
the periodic table.
Symbol: Sn
Melting point: 231.9 °C
Electron configuration:
Kr 4d10 5s2 5p2
Atomic number: 50
Atomic mass: 118.71 u
My preliminary conclusions are:
1.
ABPC should run a new testing program for ABPC members’ products that are intended to
be in contact with food and or drink.
2.
The pieces should be tested along the guidelines above
(shown in greater detail in the EDQM).
3.
We should test for the SRL of the four elements discussed
above.
4.
As products are typically associated with certain alcoholic
beverages (but not sold as such) they should be tested with those
liquids, and also a neutral beverage (water?). We should test a
children’s christening cup.
Accordingly, I propose testing a tankard with beer, a quaich with
whisky, and a flask with another spirit. We will be discussing shortly
whether we re-test the pieces previously tested by Sheffield Assay
Office, using the same facilities, checking that they are able to test as
required.
Lead is a chemical element
in the carbon group with
symbol Pb and atomic
number 82. Lead is a soft
and malleable metal, which
is regarded as a heavy
metal and poor metal.
Symbol: Pb
Melting point: 327.5 °C
Electron configuration: [Xe]
4f14 5d10 6s2 6p2
Atomic number: 82
Boiling point: 1,750 °C
Antimony is a chemical
element with symbol Sb and
atomic number 51. A
lustrous gray metalloid, it is
found in nature mainly as
the sulfide mineral stibnite.
Symbol: Sb
Electron configuration: Kr
4d10 5s2 5p3
Atomic number: 51
Melting point: 630.8 °C
Atomic mass: 121.76 ±
0.001 u
We will also consider whether we test: different alloy compositions to
see any differences between them; test pieces made from alloys
made by different pewter sheet manufacturers; and test a tankard
that has been spun from a circle of pewter and one made from a
soldered “neck” in order to see if the issues raised by the previous
tests are repeated.
Comments from members will not just be very welcome, but
essential if we are to get the best results from the testing
programme. Comments and questions, please, to: Cathy Steele.
Richard Abdy, Chairman, ABPC.
11th October 2013
Thanks to Wikipedia for the descriptions of the elements and the illustrations of
them. Ed. Alan Williams. Published by The Association of British Pewter Craftsmen,
Unit 10, 1st Floor, Edmund Road Business Centre, Sheffield, Yorkshire, S2 4ED.
www.britishpewter.co.uk
Pewter Bank
ITRI
Antique Metalware Society
The Pewter Society
The Pewterer
The Worshipful Company of Pewterers
The Association of British Pewter Craftsmen
Pewter Live 2013
Editor: Alan Williams. Published by The Association of British Pewter Craftsmen, Unit 10, 1st Floor, Edmund Road
Business Centre, Sheffield, Yorkshire, S2 4ED. Copyright: ABPC, October 2013
Opinions expressed in this Journal are those of the several authors and not necessarily those of the editor or publisher.