August 12, 2026 marks the full enforcement of EU Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR) (EU) 2025/40. It introduces the strictest‑ever hazardous substance control standards for the EU export packaging and printing industry. As an independent homogeneous material, printing ink must undergo separate testing for heavy metals and PFAS. Non‑compliance of any parameter will result in the whole batch of packaging being banned from circulation within the EU, which has become the major compliance barrier for domestic packaging and printing enterprises going global.

Huizhou Zhongzhixing Color Technology (StarColor), an expert in R&D and production of eco‑friendly inks, has completed pre‑layout for EU regulatory compliance verification. Our full range of food‑grade and general‑purpose water‑based flexo / gravure inks have passed special third‑party laboratory PFAS screening and complete PPWR hazardous substance testing. Both test reports are fully filed with all indicators meeting standards. We provide comprehensive compliance support for domestic and foreign packaging plants and brand owners exporting to the EU, helping them avoid risks including customs detention and product recalls.

I. In‑depth Interpretation: Dual Control of PPWR & PFAS, Mandatory Threshold for Export‑grade Printing Inks

1. Core Mandatory Requirements of PPWR (Mandatory Testing for All Packaging Inks)

Under the new PPWR regulation, for all packaging circulated in the EU including cartons, plastic films, food pouches and labels, ink, adhesive and substrate shall be tested independently by layers; combined testing of mixed materials is prohibited. Four heavy metals are subject to rigid limit values: total content of Lead (Pb) + Cadmium (Cd) + Mercury (Hg) + Hexavalent Chromium (Cr⁶⁺) ≤ 100 mg/kg, with no material‑specific exemption and no transition buffer period.

The regulation also strengthens recyclability control. Printing ink shall not interfere with the deinking and sorting of paper and plastic substrates, complying with the EU objectives for circular packaging.

2. Zero‑tolerance Control for PFAS (Key Inspection Target for Food‑contact Packaging)

Starting from August 12, 2026, all packaging in direct or indirect food contact will be governed by three‑tier strict limits for Per‑ and Polyfluoroalkyl Substances (PFAS):

  • Individual non‑polymeric PFAS ≤ 25 ppb
  • Sum of all non‑polymeric PFAS ≤ 250 ppb
  • Total Fluorine (including polymeric PFAS) ≤ 50 ppm

The regulation covers thousands of fluorinated compounds without industry‑wide exemption. Trace fluorine‑containing impurities from ink raw materials may lead to non‑compliance, making PFAS one of the most frequent violation items for food‑contact packaging exports.

II. StarColor Water‑Based Ink Compliance Achievements (Illustrated with Two Authoritative Test Reports)

Figure 1: PFAS Full Test Report of StarColor Water‑Based Inks

Figure 2: PPWR Packaging Hazardous Substances Test Report of StarColor Water‑Based Inks

1. PFAS Test: Zero intentional formulation addition, indicators far below EU limits

StarColor full‑series water‑based inks adopt fluorine‑free eco‑friendly resin systems. All fluorinated additives and fluorosurfactants are eliminated at the formulation R&D stage to prevent PFAS introduction from the source. Third‑party laboratories performed targeted screening of 74 restricted PFAS items via LC‑MS/MS and measured total fluorine content by combustion ion chromatography. Test conclusions are as follows:

  • No PFAS substances intentionally added;
  • Detected values of individual PFAS monomers are well below the 25 ppb limit; total organic fluorine content ＜5 ppm, greatly outperforming the EU 50 ppm regulatory threshold.

The products fully satisfy EU export requirements for food‑contact scenarios such as food paper cups, retort pouches, food flexible packaging and paper towels.

2. Full‑set PPWR Hazardous Substance Test: Compliant four heavy metals and qualified all components

For mandatory PPWR ink testing items, laboratories sampled pure finished StarColor water‑based ink as homogeneous test specimen. Total content of lead, cadmium, mercury and hexavalent chromium is far below the statutory upper limit of 100 mg/kg. Supplementary screening covering REACH phthalates, organotin, carcinogenic azo dyes and short‑chain chlorinated paraffins shows no excessive substances detected.

Deinking performance of inks has been verified. StarColor inks will not impair the recycling purity of paper, PE and PP films, satisfying PPWR mandatory “design for recyclability” standards for general e‑commerce packaging, industrial outer packaging and label printing for EU exports.

III. StarColor Compliance System: Beyond PPWR and PFAS, Comprehensive Safeguard for Global Exports

As a high‑tech enterprise specializing in eco‑friendly water‑based inks, StarColor takes international compliance as one of our core product competitiveness. Our complete matrix of international safety certifications includes:

  • EU standards: REACH SVHC full screening, PPWR, PFAS, RoHS
  • North‑America standards: US FDA 21 CFR for food‑contact printing inks
  • General safety: ISO9001 Quality Management System
  • Eco‑friendly performance: VOC ≤1% across all water‑based inks, low‑odor, benzene‑ketone‑free formulations, complying with domestic Chinese GB 38507 ink environmental standard

For EU‑oriented customers, we can supply original test reports, Declaration of Conformity (DoC) and technical documentation to assist with EU importer filing, providing one‑stop compliance documentation solutions for packaging ink exports.

IV. Advice for Export‑oriented Packaging Customers: Adopt Compliant Inks to Avoid Overseas Trade Losses

Many small‑and‑medium printing factories and brand owners have encountered goods detained at EU ports, batch destruction and heavy fines due to missing PPWR and PFAS verification for printing inks. With limited buffer time ahead of the full enforcement on August 12, 2026, exporting enterprises are recommended to complete supply‑chain ink compliance verification in advance.

StarColor delivers customized compliance supporting services:

  • Free electronic copies and stamped hard copies of PPWR and PFAS test reports;
  • Custom compliance statements according to packaging application scenarios (food‑contact / non‑food‑contact);
  • Custom formulation optimization for high‑demand food‑contact and recyclable eco‑packaging.

Green compliance represents the long‑term trend of the global packaging industry. StarColor keeps iterating low‑hazard, fluorine‑free and recyclable water‑based ink formulations. We closely track regulatory updates across EU, North America and other overseas markets. With robust testing systems and stable compliant products, we help Chinese packaging‑printing enterprises access the EU export market for safe, stable and sustainable global trade development.