Recycled Polystyrene for Direct Food Contact Applications by Trinseo
Trinseo has presented the European market’s first transparent dissolution recycled polystyrene (rPS) product.
It is mainly designed for direct food contact applications. Starting February 2025, Trinseo can sell food contact-approved rPS compliant with the EU Regulation 2022/1616. It governs using recycled plastic materials to come into direct contact with food.
Achievement
This achievement directed rigorous preparation, as Trinseo, alongside the Fraunhofer Institute, prepared an “EFSA Novel Technology Dossier” to demonstrate the decontamination efficiency of its dissolution installation and validate the finished product’s food contact safety. Trinseo proved the decontamination efficiency of its proprietary technology through a “Challenge Test,” where contaminants were added to the feedstock, and the final product was analyzed.
Challenge Test
The “Challenge Test” results confirmed that Trinseo’s rPS resins meet European food contact regulatory requirements, making them safe for various direct food contact applications, such as dairy containers, hot and cold drink cups, food trays, and refrigerator parts. Trinseo monitors the rPS resin quality to ensure consistent compliance with EU Regulation 2022/1616.
Produced in Germany at Trinseo’s Schkopau facility, these resins contain 30% recycled materials and are available immediately for sale. The feedstocks come from selected pre- and post-consumer polystyrene sources from Heathland, Trinseo’s recycler.
This development results in a product carbon footprint reduction of about 18% compared to the virgin product.
“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 to 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, Trinseo.
