Northern Ireland Statutory Rule 2012 Northern Ireland

The Materials and Articles in Contact with Food Regulations (Northern Ireland) 2012

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At a glance

What's here

14 compliance obligations

Penalty landscape

3 of 14 obligations carry a criminal penalty. 4 carry different penalties and 7 have no criminal penalty — flagged in the list below.

Who this Act binds

Business-side actors with duties under this Act, ranked by how often they appear.

  • Any Person 10

Plus 4 non-business duties on Crown ministers, regulators, local authorities or tribunals — shown collapsed under each section below.

Other Acts binding the same actors

For each actor bound by this Act, the other UK Acts that bind them most often. Useful for understanding the full compliance landscape facing each role.

Any Person also bound by 2338 other Acts (top 5 shown)

What this Act requires

Sections that create concrete duties on businesses or carry penalties. Procedural and definitional sections are folded into the “Browse other sections” expander at the bottom of each group. Click any section title to read the source text on legislation.gov.uk.

Part 1 — Preliminary

Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.001

Citation and commencement

s.002

Interpretation

s.003

Scope

Part 2 — General Requirements for Materials and Articles

s.005

Offences of contravening Article 4 of Regulation 2023/2006

Unlimited fine
  • Fail to follow good manufacturing practice for food contact materials Any Person
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.004

Offences of contravening specified provisions of Regulation 1935/2004

s.006

Competent authorities for the purposes of Regulation 1935/2004 and Regulation 2023/2006

Part 3 — Requirements for Active and Intelligent Materials and Articles

s.007

Offences of contravening specified provisions of Regulation 450/2009

  • Place non-compliant active or intelligent material on the market Any Person
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.008

Competent authorities for the purposes of Regulation 450/2009

Part 4 — Requirements for Ceramic Articles

s.010

Limits for lead and cadmium and declaration of compliance

  • Ensure ceramic articles meet lead/cadmium limits and provide compliance documents Any Person
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.009

Interpretation of this Part

Part 5 — Requirements for Regenerated Cellulose Film

s.012

Controls and limits

  • Manufacture and market regenerated cellulose film in compliance with substance, migration, labelling and declaration rules Any Person
Browse 1 other section in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.011

Interpretation of this Part

Part 6 — Requirements for Plastic Materials and Articles

s.014

Offences of contravening specified provisions of Regulation 10/2011

  • Place non-compliant plastic food contact material on the market Any Person
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.013

Interpretation of Part 6 and the Schedule

s.015

Competent authorities for the purposes of Regulation 10/2011

Part 7 — Requirements for certain epoxy derivatives

s.016

Restrictions on the use of certain epoxy derivatives (BADGE, BFDGE and NOGE)

2 years imprisonment
  • Place banned epoxy chemicals in food contact materials Any Person
s.017

Competent authorities for the purposes of Regulation 1895/2005

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Each district council must act as competent authority for epoxy derivative enforcement Local authority

Part 7A — Requirements for bisphenol A in varnishes and coatings intended to come into contact with food

s.017

Offences of contravening specified provisions of Regulation 2018/213

2 years imprisonment
  • Place non-compliant food contact material on the market Any Person
Browse 2 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.017

Interpretation of Part 7A

s.017

Competent authorities for the purposes of Regulation 2018/213

Part 8 — Requirements for Vinyl chloride

s.018

Requirements on materials and articles manufactured with vinyl chloride

  • Ensure vinyl chloride levels in food-contact materials are safe Any Person

Part 9 — Enforcement

s.019

Offences and penalties

2 years imprisonment
  • Fail to comply with food contact material regulations or obstruct enforcement Any Person
s.020

Enforcement

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • District councils must enforce food contact material regulations Local authority
s.021

Offences due to the act or default of a third party

  • Cause another person to commit a food contact materials offence Any Person
s.024

Procedure where a sample is to be analysed

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Authorised officer must divide, seal, mark and distribute food contact sample for analysis Local authority
s.025

Secondary analysis by the Government Chemist

Other duties (1) — Crown / regulator
  • Authorised officer must send sample to Government Chemist when requested by the accused or court Statutory regulator
Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.022

Time limit for prosecutions

s.023

General defences

s.026

Application of various provisions of the Order

Part 10 — General and supplementary

Browse 3 other sections in this Part — procedural / definitional / commencement
s.027

Consequential amendment to the Food Safety (Sampling and Qualifications) Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1991

s.028

Amendment to the Food Labelling Regulations (Northern Ireland) 1996

s.029

Revocations

Schedules

Browse 1 other Schedule — structural / supplementary
s.sch002

For Article 9(1) (improvement notices) substitute— (1) If an authorised...

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Official guidance

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