In the UK, new guidance is available to help companies make the right decisions on when, where and how to use recycled content in packaging applications.
Compiled by the British Plastics Federation (BPF), the Cosmetic, Toiletry and Perfumery Association (CTPA) and the Food and Drink Federation (FDF), the new guidelines, entitled Recycled Content Used In Plastic Packaging Applications, provide answers to questions about measuring recycled content and highlights important regulatory and technical considerations.
The guidance is aimed at companies wishing to include recycled content in food, drink, cosmetics and pharmaceutical packaging; it is also designed to help policymakers better understand the sector-specific issues.
Current regulations do not allow the use of recycled content in many types of plastic packaging used by these sectors owing to the rigorous safety requirements to protect human health.
The document presents detailed guidance in the form of simple Frequently Asked Questions, answering questions like “what is a functional barrier?” or “what is a challenge test?”. It also highlights important factors to consider when incorporating recycled content into plastic packaging, such as the potential to generate extra waste or to render products unrecyclable by conventional means.
The document is available to download at www.bpf.co.uk/recycledcontent