THE TINS AND HYGIENIC SAFETY

Translation of the press release from ASSOBIBE on the decree by the Lazio TAR related to the request to stop the sale of soft drinks in tins with stay on tab closing system.

(ANSA) - ROME, 99 GEN 13TH - IN ITALY APPROXIMATELY 3 BILLION TINS OF DIFFERENT TYPES OF SOFT DRINKS ARE CONSUMED EACH YEAR (WORLDWIDE CONSUMPTION IS APPROXIMATELY 180 BILLION TINS), AN AVERAGE OF 40 TINS PER CAPITA, OVERALL A MARKET WHICH IS CONTAINED COMPARED TO OTHER EUROPEAN COUNTRIES, ACCORDING TO GIANLUCA VOLPI, DIRECTOR OF ASSOBIBE (THE ASSOCIATION OF PRODUCERS OF NON-ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES). THE SALE OF SOFT DRINKS HAS BECOME AN ISSUE OF INTEREST TO THE PUBLIC BECAUSE OF THE CONTROVERSY CREATED BY THE DECREE EMITTED BY THE LAZIO TAR (THE ROME-AREA REGIONAL ADMINISTRATIVE TRIBUNAL). THERE ARE A VARIETY OF MATERIALS USED IN THE MANUFACTURE OF BEVERAGE AND FOOD CONTAINERS AND SEVERAL DIFFERENT TYPES OF TIN CLOSING DEVICES HAVE BEEN USED AT DIFFERENT TIMES IN THE PAST. FOLLOWING THE TAR SENTENCE, "INNOVATIVE" CLOSING DEVICES (PATENTED BY THEIR INVENTORS SEVERAL YEARS AGO AND PROPOSED ON NUMEROUS OCCASIONS) ARE ONCE AGAIN BEING DISCUSSED. A BRIEF OVERVIEW SHOWS:
MATERIALS:
PLASTIC (PET) FOR FRUIT JUICES AND WATER GLASS MIXED MATERIALS (HYBRIDS MADE OF PLASTIC, PAPER AND OTHER MATTERIALS, E.G. FOR MILK CARTONS) PVC USED ESPECIALLY FOR NON-CARBONATED BEVERAGES ALL THE ABOVE MATERIALS ARE DEEMED SUITABLE FOR DIRECT CONTACT WITH FOOD BY EU REGULATIONS. CLOSING DEVICES:
"THE TEAR-OFF TAB": THE METHOD (NO LONGER USED) WAS BASED ON THE TOTAL REMOVAL OF A METAL TAB ATTACHED TO THE LID OF THE TIN. THE DISPOSAL OF THE METAL TABS WAS SEEN AS AN ENVIRONMENTAL HAZARD. IN TERMS OF HEALTH, VOLPI HAS POINTED OUT, THE TEAR-OFF TAB WAS NO BETTER THAN THE SYSTEM CURRENTLY USED, AS THE BEVERAGE COMING OUT OF THE TIN STILL CAME INTO CONTACT WITH THE TIN'S OUTER SURFACE. "THE STAY ON TAB": THE CLOSING SYSTEM CURRENTLY USED THROUGHOUT THE WORLD, BUT NOW "UNDER INDICTMENT". THE METAL TAB IS RAISED AND FOLDED BACK INSIDE THE TIN. STUDIES CONDUCTED BY ITALY'S ISTITUTO SUPERIORE DI SANITA', VOLPI NOTES, HAVE NOT DEMONSTRATED ANY PARTICULAR CONTAMINATION OF BEVERAGES CAUSED BY THIS METHOD. INNOVATIVE SOLUTION: THE "MAMONE SYSTEM": PATENTED TWO YEARS AGO BY COLONEL LUIGI MAMONE, CHIEF OF THE TRIBUTARY POLICE IN NAPLES, THE SYSTEM CONSISTS OF A RING WHICH WHEN PULLED CREATES AN OPENING . THE METAL TAB IS HOWEVER HELD IN PLACE BY TWO REINFORCEMENTS SO THAT IT REMAINS ATTACHED TO THE LID. . THE "MONGARLI SYSTEM":PATENTED IN 1995 BY ITS INVENTOR, ALESSANDRO MONGARLI, THE SYSTEM CONSISTS OF A METAL TAB WHICH ONCE LIFTED FOLDS BACK ONTO ITSELF IN A Z-SHAPE, REMAINING OUTSIDE THE TIN. (ANSA) ROME, 99 GEN 13TH 16:05