The recent assessment by the Joint Expert Group for Food Contact Materials highlights that while ocean-bound plastic may be utilized, it does not extend to recycled plastics from controlled environments, such as UK kerbside collections. These controlled sources can safely package food.
Following this assessment, the Food Standards Agency (FSA) and Food Standards Scotland (FSS) reviewed the findings and determined that there is insufficient evidence to affirm the safety of ocean-bound plastics used for food packaging, particularly for meat, poultry, and fish products available in supermarkets.
Dr. James Cooper, Deputy Director of Food Policy at the FSA, acknowledged the merits of recycling abandoned plastics collected from the open environment. However, he emphasized that the FSA’s primary responsibility is to safeguard public health.
“[Recycling abandoned plastic], if carried out appropriately, can protect the environment while supporting innovation and economic growth,” stated Cooper.
“However, our role is to ensure food is safe, and we have concerns over the safety of these plastics, which we term abandoned environmental plastic, when used in their recycled form for products such as ready meal containers, fresh food trays, and bottles.”
Cooper further noted that abandoned environmental plastic currently comprises a minor portion of the recycled plastic market.
“The majority comprises kerbside recycled plastics, which are still viable for food contact material,” he added.
“Plastic materials collected from established and controlled environments, such as UK kerbside collection systems, have undergone substantial work to ensure adherence to current safety standards.
Unfortunately, we are currently not confident that the collection of abandoned environmental plastic, subsequently mechanically recycled, meets the same standards.”
Helen Bird, Head of Materials Systems Transformation at the charity WRAP, welcomed the FSA’s clarifications on this crucial topic.
“Recycling plastics into food-grade packaging is done with utmost care, utilizing material collected exclusively from kerbside to ensure that the plastic originates from food packaging, ensuring food safety.” Bird remarked.
“Plastic pollution is an environmental disaster. We must eliminate problematic and unnecessary single-use plastics and recycle plastic back into appropriate products and packaging wherever possible.”
“Most supermarkets and the food brands they represent are members of The UK Plastics Pact, committed to this end. Through their efforts, 33 billion plastic items have already been removed from shelves. However, additional actions are essential to tackle the legacy plastic pollution.”
