Public Consultation: Food safety – recycled plastic in food packaging (updated rules)

The European Commission has published a public consultation on a Draft Regulation on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foods, and repealing Regulation (EC) No 282/2008.

The Feedback period runs from 06 December 2021 - 03 January 2022 (midnight Brussels time)

The Commission plans to adopt the regulation during Q1 of 2022

The Draft Regulation lays down rules for:

(a) the placing on the market of plastic food contact materials and articles, containing plastic originating from plastic waste;

(b) the development and operation of recycling processes to produce recycled plastic for use in those plastic materials and articles;

(c) the use in contact with food of recycled plastic materials and articles and of plastic materials and articles which are intended to be recycled.

For Food business operators, they shall be obliged to use recycled plastic materials and articles in accordance with the instructions received in accordance with Article 5(5). They shall communicate relevant instructions to consumers of food packed in such materials and articles, and/or to other food business operators, where relevant.

Article 5

Requirements for documentation, instructions and labelling

5. Restrictions and specifications laid down in Annex I concerning the use of recycled material or articles manufactured with a suitable technology, and, where relevant, restrictions and specifications laid down in the authorisation concerning the use of recycled material or articles manufactured with a recycling process shall be included in the labelling required by Article 15 of Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 of recycled material or articles provided to food business operators or to final consumers.

More information: https://ec.europa.eu/info/law/better-regulation/have-your-say/initiatives/12013-Food-safety-recycled-plastic-in-food-packaging-updated-rules-_en

Contact: Lebo Mofolo, lmofolo@frucom.eu