Ensuring Reliability of PCR Plastic Film for Food Packaging

Hello,

We are a packaging company that has been working always with virgin plastic. Nonetheless, we have a new film proposal with PCR content in it at a lower cost than our current material (similar performance).

We do not have expertise with recycled content, but is there a way to prove 100% of reliability of the product? We are concerned with migration of substances into foodstuff due to impurities found during the recycling process.

We are reviewing applicable regulations and we don't seem to find an answer by ourselves. Also different websites say differently (maybe now the recycling process has developed further and there is more consistency on the outcome than it used to be?).

Anyone can offer some help?

Hallo Halo,

I'm also working on this subject.

At first,

AFAIK, several Chain of Custody standards (most noticably ISCC) allow to allocate PCR-credits to virgin plastic as long as users (e.g. your clients) accept it.

For example:

- Your supplier buy 1 tonne of virgin plasitc and 1 tonne of PCR to produce food-grade and non-food grade products.

- They sell you 1 tonnes of virgin plastic together with a claim of PCR.

- They use 1 tonne of PCR to make non-food plastic but declare nothing about it.

- You recieve 1 tonne of physically virgin plastic and 1 tonme of PCR claim.

IMO, this is a widely accepted fraud.

2nd, when your packaging truely contain PCR, the basic EU 10/2011 still applies. One additional important law is 'Commission Regulation (EU) 2022/1616'.

Hope these clears up for you.