The safety of food grade recycled plastics is guaranteed, and the industry suggests that domestic recycling should be implemented as soon as possible

New Beijing News (Reporter Liu Huan) On March 14th, a reporter from the New Beijing News learned from the Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center that the safety of food grade recycled plastics (rPET) has been guaranteed. The industry calls for the introduction of policies and regulations as soon as possible to allow food grade recycled plastics to be recycled in China.
It is reported that a typical case of recycling in the food industry is beverage bottles, which are mostly made of polyethylene terephthalate (PET). Recycling and processing PET beverage bottles into recycled PET (rPET) has a very positive significance for reducing plastics, emissions, and achieving the "dual carbon" goal. At present, the recycling and utilization of PET beverage bottles in China mainly focuses on chemical fibers and other industrial products. However, internationally, the concept of "same level first, then downgraded" is being vigorously promoted, which means that recycled PET beverage bottles are remade into beverage bottles and then transferred to chemical fiber and other industrial channels after the plastic properties have decreased.
Regarding the safety of food grade recycled plastics, Zhong Huaining, director of the National Key Laboratory of Food Contact Materials (Guangdong), introduced that the European Union and the United States have relatively mature experience in the approval of food grade rPET. Its safety is mainly verified through "challenging experiments", that is, by simulating extreme pollution conditions and proving the effectiveness of the decontamination process. Drawing on these international experiences, they collaborated with the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center to complete corresponding verification work in two domestic factories, proving that their processing technology is reliable.
But the development of food grade recycled plastics in China has formed a "closed loop", that is, domestic enterprises recycle beverage bottles and produce food grade rPET, export them to Europe and America, then make beverage bottles, and return them to Chinese consumers through cross-border e-commerce channels. The domestic market has not yet allowed rPET to be used for food packaging. How to make food grade rPET land in China as soon as possible is the common expectation of the industry and the professional community, "said Kexin.
At this year's Two Sessions, Hong Mingji, a member of the National Committee of the Chinese People's Political Consultative Conference, suggested that the National Health Commission take the lead in introducing policies and regulations as soon as possible to allow the recycling of recycled plastics used in food contact in China. The industry is also calling for the prompt introduction of policies and regulations.
Zhong Kai, Director of Kexin Food and Health Information Exchange Center, said that Kexin Center will continue to cooperate with relevant departments and technical institutions to strengthen public communication, help them better understand the positive significance and social value of PET primary recycling, and create a good public opinion atmosphere for the landing and application of food grade rPET in China.
Chen Junshi, general consultant of the National Food Safety Risk Assessment Center and academician of the CAE Member, said that the original use of rPET is highly consistent with the national sustainable development strategy and can be included in the management of existing "new varieties of food related products". He also suggested that based on a scientific safety assessment of rPET, enterprises should be selected to carry out pilot projects, so that food grade rPET can enter the practical application stage and become an option for food packaging.