It is important to consider the potential health and environmental impacts of non-intentionally added compounds that find their way into recycling streams. The U.S. Food & Drug Administration and other authorities have set guidelines for manufacturers to test and ensure the safety of recycled plastics used in food packaging.
Currently, plastic waste derived from both food and non-food applications is not differentiated and there is potential for small concentrations of non-food grade materials to be unintentionally co-mingled in single source reclamation streams. This requires more research both on the presence of chemicals and their potential harm if these materials are to be used for direct food contact.
The detection of hydrocarbons, polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons (PAHs), and other potentially harmful substances in recycled polyolefins raises concerns about exposure to these compounds during the use and disposal of plastic food contact products.
Monitoring is important to reduce the use of potentially harmful additives in plastic manufacturing and to ensure the safe recycling and disposal of plastic waste as efforts build toward a circular economy.
This project was supported by IAFNS’ Food Packaging Safety & Sustainability Committee