September 2021

Food-grade plastics in the EU: recycling challenges, DRS and EPR

A recent article in Recycling Today reported on some of the challenges in the supply of food-grade recycled plastics. According to it, PET is the most widely available polymer recyclate for food contact applications, while polyolefins (PE and PP) are lagging far behind. Of the recycled polymers in the EU, only 10% are food-grade.

On a related note, a Citizens' Initiative requesting the implementation of an EU-wide deposit-return system (DRS) and extended producer responsibility scheme (EPR) for plastic bottles has been registered by the European Commission. This registration enables the organizers to collect at least 1 million statements of support within 1 year from at least seven Member States, which then will obligate the Commission to consider the proposal and fundament its decision to move forward or not.

More information on Food Packaging Forum.