Recycling

Recently, we wrote about the problem of plastic waste and the potential impact bioplastic could have. Most of the plastic waste in the world comes from things like bags, food containers, and other kinds of packaging.

Fiber-reinforced plastic (FRP), while a modest portion of the total, nevertheless is part of the challenge we face in dealing with the waste created when our products reach the end of their lifespan.

You’ve probably never seen a “fiberglass” bin at your local recycling center, but methods do exist for turning discarded FRP products into useful materials. In this post, we want to explain some of the methods currently used.

RECYCLING

of food packaging materials

Food packaging often turns into waste after short periods of use. Recycling is currently discussed as one option to reduce the environmental impact of food packaging. Efficient collection and separation processes are a prerequisite for successful recycling.

However, whether recycling can be applied to keep the material in a closed cycle and produce new food packaging strongly depends on the material type. Properties such as stability, color, and smell can change during recycling. Additionally, the chemical safety can be compromised if the material allows carry over of contaminants or tends to degrade in the process.

Therefore, some materials can be recycled almost infinitely into new food packaging. For others, the number of cycles is limited, and special measures are needed to guarantee the safety of the recycled material before it is used in contact with food again. The third group of materials cannot be recycled into new food packaging – these materials are either downcycled or not recycled at all. Currently, the main food packaging materials can be grouped accordingly as shown below. More information about food packaging recycling is available on the second page of each material fact sheet:

Multimaterial

Plastic

Paper and Board

Metal

Glass

SCIENTIFIC RESOURCES

Overview of intentionally used food contact chemicals and their hazards

Groh K., Geueke B., Martin O., Maffini M., and Muncke J. 2021, Environment International; Volume 150, 106225, DOI: 10.1016/j.envint.2020.106225

Impacts of food contact chemicals on human health: a consensus statement

Muncke J., Andersson A.-M., Backhaus T., Boucher J.M., Carney Almroth B., Castillo Castillo A., Chevrier J., Demeneix B.A., Emmanuel J.A., Fini J.-B., Gee D., Geueke B., Groh K., Heindel J.J., Houlihan J., Kassotis C.D., Kwiatkowski C.F., Lefferts L.Y., Maffini M.V., Martin O.V., Myers J.P., Nadal A., Nerin C., Pelch K.E., Rojello Fernández S., Sargis R.M., Soto A.M., Trasande L., Vandenberg L.N., Wagner M, Wu C., Zoeller R.T. & Scheringer M. 2020, Environmental Health; Volume 25(20), DOI: 10.1186/s12940-020-0572-5

Food packaging in the circular economy: Overview of chemical safety aspects for commonly used materials

Geueke B., Groh K., and Muncke J. 2018, Journal of Cleaner Production; Volume 193, pages 491-505, DOI: 10.1016/j.jclepro.2018.05.005

HOW TO CHOOSE THE RIGHT FOOD PACKAGING FOR YOUR PRODUCT

one way to ensure you end up with the right packaging material for your food products is to work with an experienced packaging company. We’ve been providing our customers with high-quality packaging materials to help them protect their products since 1984, and we can help you find the right materials for your needs.

International Clinic of Packaging (ICP)