. /.   WORLD TRADE  
ORGANIZATION  G/TBT/N/ZAF/135 
20 April 2011  
 (11-2040) 
Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade Original:   English 
  
 
NOTIFICATION 
 
The following notification is being circ ulated in accordance with Article 10.6 
 
1. Member to Agreement notifying:  SOUTH AFRICA
  
If applicable, name of local governme nt involved (Article 3.2 and 7.2):     
2. Agency responsible:  Department of Health 
Name and address (including telephone and fax numbers, email and website 
addresses, if available) of agency or authority designated to handle comments 
regarding the notification shall be indicated if different from above :   
Directorate General  
Attention: Director of Food Control Private Bag X828 Pretoria 0001 
South Africa 
Tel.:  +27 12 395 8789 Fax:  +27 12 395 8854 Website:  http://www.doh.gov.za/department/dir_foodcontr-f.html
  
E-mail:  CACPSA@health.gov.za   
3. Notified under Article 2.9.2 [ X ], 2.10.1 [   ], 5.6.2 [   ], 5.7.1 [   ], other:   
4. Products covered (HS or CCCN where applicable, otherwise national tariff heading. 
ICS numbers may be provided in addition, where applicable):  Polycarbonate Infant 
Feeding Bottles Containing Bispheno l A (HS:  3924.10) (ICS:  97.190) 
National Tariff Heading: Tableware and kitchenware 
5. Title, number of pages and language(s) of the notified document:   Proposed regulations 
relating to the prohibition of the manufacturi ng, importation, expor tation and sale of 
polycarbonate infant feeding bottles contai ning Bisphenol A (2 pages, in English). 
6. Description of content:  The Regulations prohibit the manufa cturing, sale, importation, as 
well as exportation of infant feed ing bottles containing Bisphenol A.  G/TBT/N/ZAF/135 
Page 2  
 
  7. Objective and rationale, including the na ture of urgent problems where applicable:  
Consumer safety  
As a precautionary measure, to protect one of  the most vulnerable groups, namely infants in 
South Africa, from the potential health risks posed by BPA, until  such time as substantiated 
scientific evidence has been obtained through research. 
The Food Agricultural Organization (FAO) and World Health Organization (WHO) held an 
expert meeting in November 2010, to assess th e safety of BPA. The conclusion was that 
there is considerable uncertainty regardi ng the validity and relevance of BPA test 
observations and that it would be premature to  conclude that these evaluations provide a 
realistic estimate of the human health risk. In  the light of this situation, the meeting 
proposed that these findings should drive the dir ection of future research with the objective 
of reducing the uncertainties in question. The summary report is available at the FAO and 
WHO websites at:  
http://www.fao.org/ag/agn/agns/chemicals_en.asp
 
and: 
http://www.who.int/foodsafety/chem/chemicals/bisphenol/en/  
In view of the contradicting results of expe rimental studies and re sulting uncertainties about 
the possibility of adverse human health effects, such as cancer, heart disease, diabetes, and 
other serious illnesses, South Africa have decided to prohibit the manufacturing, sale, 
importation, as well as e xportation of infant feeding bottles containing BPA as a 
precautionary measure. This has been done to  protect one of the most vulnerable groups, 
namely infants in South Africa, from the potenti al health risks posed by BPA, until such time 
as substantiated scientific evidence has been  obtained through research as proposed by the 
mentioned expert group. Alternat ive materials to polycarbonate that do not contain BPA exist 
on the market for the manufacturing of infant fe eding bottles and it is thus not necessary for 
the industries concerned to continue the us e of BPA containing polycarbonate for this 
purpose. 
8. Relevant documents:   Government Gazette No. 33066,  Notice No. R. 249 of 25 March 
2011, Draft Regulations Relating to the Prohi bition of the Manufacturing, Importation, 
Exportation and Sale of Polycarbonate Infant  Feeding Bottles, C ontaining Bisphenol A 
published in terms of the Foodstuffs, Cosmetics and Disinfectants Act, 1972 
(Act No. 54 of 1972). 
9. Proposed date of adoption:   
Proposed date of entry into force:    - 
6 months after publication of date of publication of the final regulations 
10. Final date for comments:  30 June 2011 
11. Text available from: National enquiry point [X], or address, telephone and fax numbers, 
e-mail and web-site addresses, if available of the other body:    
Department of Health Contact person:  Malose Daniel Matlala 
Tel.:  +27-12 395 8789 Fax:  +27-12 395 8854 E-mail:  CACPSA@health.gov.za
 
Website:  http://www.doh.gov.za/department/dir_foodcontr-f.html