EFSA green light for recycling PP CHEP crates for food contact

14-Dec-2010 - Last updated on 14-Mar-2017 at 06:43 GMT

European food safety watchdog EFSA (European Food Safety Authority) has ruled that it is safe to recycle polypropylene (PP) crates made by the UK-based pallet and container packaging company CHEP for food contact uses.

EFSA offered its favourable scientific opinion in response to a request from the Netherlands’ Ministry of Health, Welfare and Sport. The ministry asked for an evaluation of the plastic recycling process specifically for CHEP crates with particular reference to recycling damaged food contact re-usable PP crates.

Polypropylene flakes

The request, made on behalf of CHEP UK, applies to a product loop recycling process which is run in a closed and controlled chain in order to produce recycled polypropylene flakes.

According to a statement from EFSA: “The CEF Panel (scientific panel on food contact materials) concluded that there is no safety concern for the consumer if the process is run in a product loop which is in a closed and controlled chain under the conditions described by the applicant and used for manufacturing PP crates intended to be used in contact with whole fruits and vegetables and pre-packed meat, as requested by the applicant.”

During the process pre-cleaned crates are ground into flakes, washed and dried. The flakes may be blended with virgin polypropylene or used up to 100% to manufacture recycled polypropylene crates. These crates are intended to be used for long term storage of whole fruits and vegetables and of pre-packed meat at room temperature or below.

Good manufacturing practice

Meanwhile, the CEF Panel recommended that recycling processes should be verified periodically, as part of the good manufacturing practice (GMP).

Also, it advised that monitoring would be needed to check that input originates from materials that have been manufactured in accordance with community legislation on food contact materials.

And the cleaning of the crates during their service life should be monitored to ensure that recycling is consistent with good practice.

Recycled plastic materials intended to come into contact with foods can be sold within the European Union only if they contain recycled plastic obtained only from an authorised recycling process, according to EU law.

A recycling process can be authorized only after EFSA issues a favourable safety opinion.