Recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) producer Phoenix Technologies International has secured approval from the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA) for its manufacturing process, which is based on extra small particle size technology.
According to the company, the EU register No RECYC035 has been allocated to its recycling process.
EFSA's panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids said, "the recycled PET obtained from the process Phoenix ESPS [extra small particle size] intended to be used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs for long term storage at room temperature, with or without hot-fill is not considered of safety concern."
The panel is said to be responsible for the assessment of recycling process safety.
Various packaging containers and bottles for food, beverages, pharmaceuticals, shampoos, soaps and detergents can be produced using Phoenix rPET technology.
Phoenix Technologies International commercial operations director Lori Carson most of the company's rPET customers are large global brand owners who sell products into the European marketplace, which prompted it to pursue this certification.
"This certification gives them an additional comfort level that rPET produced via this process can be used as an 'up to' 100% replacement for virgin PET without any safety issues," Carson added.
Earlier, the US Food & Drug Administration and Health Canada had granted 'letters of no objection' to the company's rPET small particle process.
