Styrenics Circular Solutions seeks EFSA opinion on mechanically recycled polystyrene as food contact material

- Application for EU authorisation of mechanically recycled polystyrene as food contact material follows several excellent challenge test results

- Recycled polystyrene as food contact material will accelerate roadmap to commercial scale PS recycling and further investment decisions

BRUSSELS, March 9, 2021 /PRNewswire/ -- Styrenics Circular Solutions (SCS), the value chain initiative to increase the circularity of styrenic polymers, announced today that it has filed its first application for EU authorisation of mechanically recycled polystyrene (rPS) as food contact material.

The application, on which the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) is expected to give an opinion, covers multiple end-consumer applications, including hot and cold beverage containers, yoghurt pots and trays. It follows several highly successful challenge tests. The SCS challenge tests confirmed polystyrene as highly recyclable to food grade standards via mechanical recycling, which is one of the different recycling options available to PS. The tests, using super-cleaning technology, delivered a recycled polymer with excellent purity, based on post-consumer food packing waste from the separate collection in different European countries.

Jens Kathmann, Secretary-General of SCS, commented: "This is a breakthrough moment for circular styrenics, a culmination of all the positive developments of the last two years. We now have a recyclate that meets the strict and very high purity requirements for food contact materials. This confirms all the positive inherent characteristics of polystyrene, not least the polymer's truly circular nature. The whole value chain is looking forward to a positive EFSA opinion after such a strong application, which will be the door opener for the industrial scale-up. This is only the first application to EFSA, further are to follow."

Anabela Ferreira, board member and co-owner of converter Intraplás welcomed SCS' application to EFSA: "The challenge tests confirmed what we, the converter members of SCS, had also discovered in tests at our facilities: we found recycled polystyrene to be a drop-in solution, behaving exactly as virgin and delivering the same properties, look and feel, right down to the snapability, when easily separating a yoghurt pot from a multipack. We converters, along with our brand-owner and retailer clients, will be eagerly awaiting the EFSA opinion on this game-changing development."

About Styrenics Circular Solutions

Styrenics Circular Solutions is the value chain initiative to increase the circularity of styrenics. The initiative engages the entire value chain in the development and industrialisation of new recycling technologies and solutions. It aims to strengthen the sustainability of styrenic products while improving resource efficiency within the Circular Economy.

For more information visit www.styrenics-circular-solutions.com