EU takes next step to safe recycled
#polystyrene (
#rPS) in food packaging and other food contact material and articles (FCM): The European Commission (EC) has assigned and published the number of the novel technology (NT) developed by SCS with its consortium: BE1-3UT-2N6.
It has o the NTs individually developed by SCS members Ineos @Styrolution and @Trinseo, as well as multiple others for PS and other plastics. SCS' NT includes a functional barrier, while those of its members are for direct food contact.
Marketability and transparency: This EC publication confirms that recycled plastic FCM manufactured according to the EU rules for NTs with the listed NTs is allowed on the European market. It may be used, e.g., to meet recycled content requirements of the EU packaging law (
#PPWR). This follows directly from EU Regulation 2022/1616 (Art. 4(1),( 3)(b) and (5)). It does not require a prior @EFSA_EU assessment. The NT part of the Union register provides links to the mandatory publications detailing each technology. Its initial version lists 20 NTs of developers in the EU and 4 from outside the EU, fewer than the known overall number of NTs notified. The EC explains that it has only included data that it and the Member States have been able to validate. This includes the mandatory publications.
The safety of SCS' NT has been underpinned by extensive tests and multiple peer-reviewed studies since before its notification. Furthermore, the listed NTs have already passed multiple checks: during the verification of the notification by the competent authority according to the Regulation, as well as informally by the EC and with EFSA (according to the EC).
Way forward: Following the publication of four monitoring reports, SCS' has had a request to initiate the assessment by EFSA pending with the EC since May 2025. The EC has been working on these requests. We reiterate our calls on the EC to follow through with its plans to further confirm the safety of the NT, and to fully and even-handedly implement the Regulation to ensure the safety of both EU-produced and imported FCM.
We are confident regarding the capacity to supply safe FCM produced with 'novel' closed-loop mechanical and physical (dissolution) recycling technologies for of
#PS (incl. GPPS and HIPS),
#XPS as well as
#EPS packaging, and for other applications. Furthermore, depolymerisation (chemical) recycling of these types of PS is already available at industrial scale. Used to produce 'as good as virgin' material, it does not fall within the scope of the Regulation at hand and Union register.
Ever more national and individual initiatives have already been achieving the use of 10-30% rPS in food packaging on the market. Public data points to growing available PS feedstock, sorting and recycling capacity.
Sources:
- Union register:
food.ec.europa.eu/food-safety/ch…
- INEOS @Styrolution's mrPS in yoghurt pots:
ineos.com/de/businesses/…
- @Trinseo's rPS FCM:
trinseo.com/news-and-event…
- Safety of rPS FCM (with further references):
x.com/SCS4Circularit…
- Examples of national and individual PS circularity initiatives across Europe (and beyond):
x.com/SCS4Circularit…
- Areas of growth in circular PS – available feedstock:
x.com/SCS4Circularit…
- Areas of growth in circular PS – sorting capacity:
x.com/SCS4Circularit…
- Areas of growth in circular PS – recycling capacity:
x.com/SCS4Circularit…
@COEXPAN_ @EslavaPlasticos @flogroup @GreinerNews @IntraplasS @Trinseo @eni (Versalis)
