Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS), the value chain initiative working to realise a more circular economy for styrenic polymers, has submitted a notification of a ‘novel technology’ under the new EU regulation 2022/1616. This regulation governs the use of recycled plastic food contact materials and articles (FCM), and entered into force in October 2022. The aim of the regulation is to promote the use of recycled materials for food applications while maintaining and ensuring the safety of these materials.
The ‘novel technology’ relates to the use of rigid recycled polystyrene (rPS) as food contact material behind a functional barrier, in a so-called ABA structure. The notification aims to ensure the immediate and continued availability of safe rPS produced with established technology, under the stringent conditions and supervision foreseen by EU law.
The regulation permits the use of polystyrene recycled with ‘novel technologies’ for food contact applications, e.g. in food packaging – as soon as and as long as certain conditions are met, including completion of a notification and ongoing monitoring and reporting of detailed safety information. Although the notification must be verified by the competent authority, the submission means that rPS produced with the notified installations and technology may be placed as food contact materials on the market immediately.
Going forward, additional installations for recycling and converting polystyrene into ABA sheets may be added under the current SCS notification.
“This significant step will accelerate the uptake of recycled polystyrene in the market. Our notification builds on polystyrene’s intrinsic suitability as recycled food contact material, due to its low diffusion characteristics, among other things,” noted Jens Kathmann, Secretary-General of SCS, “It demonstrates the justified confidence in the safety of recycled polystyrene for food contact applications, which is based on research that we initiated before the new EU regulation.”
Our members and partners have been developing multiple other technologies for recycled polystyrene that can be safely used in direct contact with food, he added. “The investments and strong engagement of the value chain are paying off. We warmly welcome even more value chain members to join our ABA consortium."
SCS is hosting an online event highlighting the novel technology for food grade circular PS, and the
implications for the value chain on 26 June, 2023, 15:00 CEST / 14:00 GMT.