Recycled plastic packaging in contact with food

Regulation (EC) No 282/2008 on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foods

SUMMARY

Plastic waste may be contaminated by substances from the previous use of the plastics or by contact with non-food grade plastic. Therefore an adequate process to remove possible contamination is necessary to control the safety of the final product.

WHAT DOES THE REGULATION DO?

This Regulation sets out specific measures for recycled plastic materials and articles, supplementing Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.

KEY POINTS

This Regulation covers the use of recycled plastic materials and articles which come directly into contact with food. It does not apply to previously unused offcuts, or polymers which have been chemically broken down into monomers*, for example, removing their quality of plasticity.

The materials and articles covered here are also subject to Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 on plastic materials intended for food packaging.

The recycled plastic used for the manufacture of materials and articles covered by this Regulation must come from an authorised recycling process, managed according to rules set out in the Annex of Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 on good practice for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food.

Authorisation may be granted if recycling processes comply with the following:

• the input must be quality controlled;
• the input must originate from plastic materials made in accordance with EU legislation on plastic materials and articles intended for contact with food;
• the process must guarantee that there is no risk of contamination or that it is at a level posing no risk to health;
• the finished article must not release components into food in a quantity likely to endanger human health or cause an unacceptable change in the composition of the food, or a deterioration in its appearance, smell or texture.

The European Commission (EC) keeps a public register of authorised recycling processes, as well as a register of recycling sites in EU and non-EU countries.

Voluntary declaration of the recycled content in recycled plastic materials and articles follow the rules set out in ISO 14021:1999.

In addition to meeting the requirements of Regulation (EU) No 10/2011, the declaration of compliance must confirm that:

• an authorised recycling process was used, and state its EC registration number,
• the plastic input, the recycling process and the recycled plastic meet the specifications for which the authorisation has been granted, and
• a quality assurance system is in place.

KEY TERM

*Monomer: a substance consisting of single unconnected molecules, in contrast to a polymer which gains its quality of plasticity from molecules in a monomer binding together.

WHEN DOES THE REGULATION APPLY?

From 17 April 2008.

For more information, see Food Contact Materials on the European Commission's website.

ACT

Commission Regulation (EC) No 282/2008 of 27 March 2008 on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foods and amending Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006

RELATED ACTS

Regulation (EC) No 1935/2004 of the European Parliament and of the Council of 27 October 2004 on materials and articles intended to come into contact with food and repealing Directives 80/590/EEC and 89/109/EEC (OJ L 338, 13.11.2004, pp. 4–17)

Commission Regulation (EC) No 2023/2006 of 22 December 2006 on good manufacturing practice for materials and articles intended to come into contact with food (OJ L 384, 29.12.2006, pp. 75–78)

Commission Regulation (EU) No 10/2011 of 14 January 2011 on plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with food (OJ L 12, 15.1.2011, pp. 1–89)

last update 03.12.2015