What You Should Know About Carbon Black Regulations

Is carbon black listed on California Proposition 65?

“Carbon black (airborne, unbound particles of respirable size)” was added to the California Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA) list of substances known to the State to cause cancer on February 21, 2003.  The listing was triggered by the ‘authoritative’ body mechanism in the California Code of Regulations and is based on the IARC reclassification from 1995/96.  All three criteria of the listing must be met for carbon black to be considered a Proposition 65 substance.

What analytical method should be used to determine the concentration of PAHs on carbon black?.

US FDA and ASTM method 7771 are specific to carbon black.  The ZEK/AfPS method should NOT be applied to carbon black.  For more information, please refer to the ZEK suitability statement in the Resources from ICBA section

Does carbon black migrate from plastic packaging materials into foodstuffs?

Per scientific investigation, carbon black does not migrate from plastic packaging.  Carbon black was investigated to assess the possibility, and if applicable the quantity of nanoparticles migration from plastic materials used in the food packaging industry. Based on this investigation it can be concluded that nanoparticles of carbon black do not migrate into food once it is incorporated into a plastics food contact material.  Please refer to the particle migration statement in the Resources from ICBA section