Current application status of PCR in food contact materials

Countries and regions such as the United States, Japan, and the European Union have clear legal recognition of food contact with recycled plastics, and some countries have also established industry guidelines. The U.S. Federal Food, Drug, and Cosmetic Act allows recycled materials to be used in food contact materials in principle, and has issued a guidance document "Precautions for the Use of Recycled Plastics in Food Packaging: Chemical Considerations", indicating that U.S. food and drug The Food and Drug Administration (FDA) provides scientific recommendations and approval standards for the use of recycled plastics in food packaging. However, the FDA does not mandate certification of recycled plastic processes. Companies can apply for recycled plastic certification based on marketing needs and other decisions. At present, 25% of post-consumer PET bottles in the United States are used in food contact materials, taking the first step in the infinite cycle of "bottle to bottle".

The EU Recycled Plastics Regulation (ECNo 282/2008) promulgated by the European Union stipulates that the manufacturing of food contact recycled plastics must use a process authorized by the European Commission. This process needs to be submitted to the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for safety assessment. Key points include the use of recycled raw materials. Quality, recycling process, contaminant removal efficiency and intended use of recycled plastic. At the same time, the EU's Green New Deal and supporting documents under its framework have put forward mandatory requirements for the content of recycled content in food packaging. It is clear that by 2025, PET beverage bottles must contain 25% or more recycled materials; by 2030, the content of recycled plastics Not less than 30%. From April 1, 2022, the UK will officially implement a plastic packaging tax, which is jointly issued by the British Revenue and Customs Administration; one of the important contents is: if less than 30% of the recycled plastic in the plastic packaging contains less than 30% recycled plastic, it will need to pay 200 pounds per ton. Packaging tax, and the tax will not be charged for products containing 30% and above; Germany, as a leader in technology, has an unlimited recycling rate of PET bottles of the same level as high as 34%.

With the promotion of policies, large foreign chemical companies have begun to deploy PCR products for food, and food companies have also continued to promote the application of PCR products. NOVA Chemical Company launched recycled polyethylene resin, and Finnish Vadio Dairy Company began to use it in food packaging in 2019. Use recycled plastic; Nestlé announced that it will use 2 million tons of food-grade recycled plastic by 2025. NakedJuice uses all recycled PET packaging in the UK.

Due to the abolition or replacement of regulations prohibiting the use of recycled plastics in food packaging in our country, current laws and regulations still need to be established and improved. At the same time, because recycled plastics do not belong to the food discipline, relevant departments are unable to conduct safety analysis on them according to food requirements. This may bring great food safety risks to a certain extent.

At present, my country has also begun to gradually deploy PCR products for food. In 2015, Guolong Plastic Chemical Co., Ltd. established my country's first food and medical recycled PET production line in Wuzhou City [32], opening the door to my country's recycled material production. In 2021, Tao Chemistry launched recycled PE for non-contact food in Nanjing[33]. In the same year, Mengniu applied this product to heat shrink packaging, becoming the first company in the food industry to use recycled materials[34]. Although our country has production capacity, due to the imperfect safety assessment system, food contact recycled plastics have not yet been used. Therefore, we should improve the waste plastic recycling system, clarify the legal status of recycled plastics, formulate technical standards for recycled plastics, and establish the recycling and regeneration process. Regulatory order can ensure food safety when recycled plastics are used in food contact. For this reason, our government has introduced a series of policies and measures in recent years to encourage the recycling of plastics.

With the promotion of policies and industry support, international food and beverage giants have also included recycled plastics in their sustainable plans. The use of PCR in food contact materials has become a future development trend.