Since 10 October, new rules on the use of recyclates in contact with food have been in force in the EU, which also have an impact on food packaging. Guidelines are intended to provide assistance so that plastics recyclers and processors can adapt to the requirements.
Although certain transitional periods still apply until mid-2023, many people will still have to Plastics recyclers and processors are already preparing for the new requirements. Joint guidelines published today by the associations of the plastics processing industry (GKV and its supporting organisations) and the plastics recyclers (BDE, bvse) will help them to achieve this.
„Together with plastics recyclers, we have long been campaigning for the use of more recycled plastics in food contact products. The new regulations will hopefully mean that recyclates other than recycled PET from returnable bottles can also be used in food packaging in the medium term.“
Dr Martin Engelmann, Managing Director of IK Industrievereinigung Kunststoffverpackungen e.V., responsible for the Environment and Consumer Protection division at GKV
„The use of recycled plastics is an important contribution on the way to a climate-neutral circular economy, as it reduces CO2 emissions in product manufacturing and dependence on fossil raw materials. Recycled materials are already irreplaceable for products that come into contact with food, such as PET drinks bottles, and are becoming increasingly important.“
Dr Andreas Bruckschen, Deputy Managing Director of the BDE e.V.
Together, the associations are appealing to the EU Commission to implement its announcement and to to finally authorise over 230 PET recycling processes that have been assessed as safe and thus create legal certainty for the industry. „With the guidelines, we want to make it easier for plastics recyclers and processors to apply the new regulations and show ways and means of implementing the sometimes very complicated regulations,“ explains Herbert Snell, Vice President of the bvse Plastics Recycling Association.
Here you will find the Guidelines.
Source: BDE
