In order to improve the high-value application of recycled plastics, many countries and regions actively encourage the use of recycled plastics for food contact. In addition to Europe and the United States, Japan, India, South Korea, Thailand, Indonesia, Bangladesh and other countries in Asia have allowed the use of recycled plastics for food contact.
So, what is the progress of research on the use of recycled plastics in food contact materials in China?
At the 28th China Plastics ** and Recycling Conference at chinareplas 2023,Zhong Huaining, researcher of the National Key Laboratory of Food Contact Materials Testing (Guangdong).**Delivered a wonderful speech on the theme of "Research Progress of Recycled Materials for Food Contact Materials in China".
Zhong Huaining pointed out that it is one of the important measures for the sustainable development of food contact materials, and the food-grade physics of post-consumer plastic (PCR) is an important means to solve plastic pollution, especially post-consumer PET (RPET).
At present, RPET is mainly downgraded in the field of fiber, if it can achieve bottle-to-bottle food-grade physical **, there are many benefits, such as multiple times, lower carbon footprint, smaller environmental impact, etc., of course, it will also bring higher safety requirements to food safety.
Challenges
There are several challenges to achieving food-grade applications for recycled plastics, especially RPT:
The supporting regulations and policies for food-grade recycled plastics in China are not sound;
In terms of market regulation, regulations have not yet approved recycled plastics for use in food contact materials;
In terms of policy, there is a lack of policy support such as the deposit system and the extension of producer responsibility, and the rate of food-grade is not high
In terms of technical standards, the relevant technical standards for food-grade recycled plastics are not sound, such as the lack of unified specifications for food-grade RPET ** quality indicators;
In terms of supervision, there are multiple departments involved, and there is no consensus on the food-grade utilization of recycled plastics, which needs to be further coordinated.
A very important influencing factor is the lack of scientific research on the food-grade utilization of recycled plastics in China。Taking RPET as an example, there is a lack of risk assessment for RPET in China: What are the possible contaminants of high concern?What are the possible risks?How can we carry out effective challenging experiments to prove that recycling plants in China can effectively remove contaminants from RPET?How to effectively identify virgin PET and recycled PET and solve the problem of counterfeiting?How to correctly evaluate the environmental impact of food-grade RPET?The lack of scientific research in many areas has led to a lack of scientific and technical support for policymaking.
Current Actions
In recent years, China has also been actively carrying out related work. For example, the National Center for Food Safety Risk Assessment is actively engaged in risk assessment and guideline development;As a think tank, the China Development Research Association (CDRF) is also actively promoting the implementation of food-grade RPET policiesFrom an industry perspective, in September 2020, the China Joint Working Group on Sustainable Development of Food Contact Materials (SFCM) was established.
Food grade RPET
Taking food-grade RPET as an example, the following aspects of work have been carried out: including pollution level investigation, challenge test pollutant list, challenge test, etc.
A total of 1,030 pollutants were detected in the pollutant screening, and the test was foundNon-food**, food residues, daily chemical additives and plastic-related substance residuesIt is the main pollutant detected by RPET, and the types and concentrations of volatile substances detected in different samples have obvious differences.
Further research findings based on chemical space technology:The alternative pollutant lists in Europe and the United States do not fully cover the pollutants detected in China, and proposed a list of recommended pollutants that better reflect the actual situation in China.
Challenge the experimental site** on-site).
Challenging trials at recycling plants in China and positive data on product migration indicate that RPET in China is safe to use in the production of food packaging if it is removed through a standardized and effective removal process.