Trinseo has launched the first and only transparent dissolution recycled polystyrene (rPS) product in the European market, specifically engineered for direct food and beverage packaging applications.
This innovative product complies with EU Regulation 2022/1616, which governs the use of recycled plastic materials intended for direct contact with food. Consequently, Trinseo offers food contact-approved rPS, enabling companies to adhere to safety standards in food and beverage packaging.
Furthermore, achieving this milestone required extensive preparation and collaboration. In conjunction with the Fraunhofer Institute, Trinseo prepared an “EFSA Novel Technology Dossier” to highlight the decontamination efficiency of its dissolution installation and validate the food contact safety of the final product. The company successfully demonstrated the efficacy of its proprietary technology through a rigorous “Challenge Test,” which involved adding contaminants to the feedstock and subsequently analyzing the final product.
Importantly, the results from the “Challenge Test” confirmed that Trinseo’s rPS resins meet the stringent European food contact regulatory requirements. This adherence ensures safety for a variety of direct food and beverage packaging applications, including dairy containers, hot and cold drink cups, food trays, and refrigerator components. Trinseo is committed to consistently monitoring the quality of rPS resin to maintain compliance with EU Regulation 2022/1616.
Produced in Germany at Trinseo’s Schkopau facility, these resins incorporate 30% recycled materials and are immediately available for purchase. The feedstocks are sourced from selected pre- and post-consumer polystyrene provided by Heathland, Trinseo’s recycling partner. This development results in a product carbon footprint reduction of approximately 18% compared to traditional virgin materials.
“Polystyrene has long been the material of choice for various food contact applications, and we are very proud to be the first to launch recycled polystyrene for direct food contact using dissolution technology. This technological innovation gives our customers a broader choice of sustainable solutions, helping them achieve recycled content targets such as those set forth by the European Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR),” said Alain Minelli, global product & marketing director at Trinseo.