The European Commission has today (Thursday, September 15) adopted new rules on the use of recycled plastic for food packaging.
The regulation will set out clear guidelines to ensure that recycled plastic can be safely used in food packaging in the EU.
It will help the recycling industry to establish suitable ways for recycling plastics that presently cannot be recycled into food packaging.
Over 200 mechanical PET (polyethylene terephthalate) recycling processes will be eligible for authorisation under the rules, which will help the industry to meet the 2025 target of 25% recycled plastic in PET beverage bottles.
The European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) will also have a clearer basis to evaluate the suitability of recycling technologies and the safety of the recycled plastic in food packaging.
The EU will establish a public register of recycling processes, recyclers, and recycling installations under its scope, in a bid to increase transparency.
The EU Commission said that the move will contribute to increasing the overall sustainability of the food system and achieving the objectives of the Circular Economy Action Plan.
The plan, which is part of the EU Green Deal, is built around doing more with less, or consuming fewer material resources to sustain our communities, homes and economy.
Commenting on the new rules, executive vice-president for the European Green Deal, Frans Timmermans said:
“Plastics are useful to preserve food, but their use has to be sustainable. Today’s new rules enable food manufacturers to use more recycled plastics in food packaging.”
EU Commissioner in charge of health and food safety, Stella Kyriakides added:
“The EU needs new rules to produce safe recycled plastics that can be trusted by food businesses and consumers.
“With around 50% of all plastic packaging in the EU used for food products, we need to ensure that this sector can transition towards a more sustainable food production safely and efficiently – using more recycled plastic is key to achieve this.
“Protecting our environment and the health of our citizens are two sides of the same coin, and our new rules will deliver on these objectives,” the commissioner said.