Can Recycled Plastic Be Used in Food Packaging?

As sustainability takes center stage in the packaging industry, the use of recycled materials for food packaging has become a hot topic. While incorporating recycled content helps reduce waste and lower environmental impact, concerns about food safety, contamination, and regulatory compliance remain at the forefront. 

Can recycled materials be safely used for food packaging without compromising hygiene and consumer health? In this article, we’ll explore the science behind recycled packaging, the safety measures in place, and what brands need to consider to ensure both sustainability and food safety go hand in hand.

The Safety of Recycled Plastics in Food Packaging

There are a few major safety issues when it comes to recycled plastic. Not only can plastic absorb certain contaminants, but the chemicals used to make plastic containers can also begin to degrade over time, both of which can contaminate food or beverages. The FDA attempts to control these risks by issuing scientific guidelines, but they can also spot-test materials to ensure companies meet their obligations.

How Recycled Plastics Are Processed for Safety

Recycled plastics intended for food packaging must go through rigorous processing to ensure they meet safety and hygiene standards. The process involves several key steps:

1. Collection & Sorting – Plastics are collected from post-consumer or post-industrial waste streams and sorted based on resin type (e.g., PET, HDPE).
2. Cleaning & Decontamination – The sorted plastics undergo intensive washing to remove labels, adhesives, and residues. Advanced decontamination processes, such as hot washing and chemical treatments, help eliminate potential contaminants.
3. Mechanical or Chemical Recycling – Mechanical or Chemical recycling processes the material into post-consumer recycled (PCR) resin:
   • Mechanical Recycling: Plastics are shredded, melted, and reprocessed into new pellets, which can be used in food-grade applications if they meet regulatory standards.
   • Chemical Recycling: Plastics are broken down into their molecular components and rebuilt into virgin-quality plastic, ensuring high purity and safety.
4. Superclean Technologies – Specialized processes, like high-temperature vacuum treatment, filtration, and solid-state polymerization, further purify the material to remove any remaining contaminants.
5. Regulatory Testing & Approval – Food-grade recycled plastics must comply with safety regulations from organizations like the FDA (U.S.), EFSA (Europe), and other global authorities. These bodies test for residual contaminants and assess migration risks to ensure the recycled material does not compromise food safety.

Many companies utilize a closed-loop process for recycling. This system specifically collects food-grade materials to be repurposed exclusively for food packaging, which helps minimize contamination risks. Ongoing advancements in recycling technology continue to enhance safety, making recycled plastics a viable and sustainable choice for food packaging.

Regulations Governing Food-Safe Recycled Plastics

The FDA requires companies to prove that their recycled plastics are safe for food contact. This requires detailing their recycling process to the FDA and providing official test results that show their recyclable containers meet the contamination guidelines. If the FDA approves the process, they will send a No Objection Letter to the company.

The FDA is looking not just at the recycling process, but also where the plastic is sourced and how exactly it will be used. So, if you plan to have a barrier between your plastic and the food, such as paper wrapping, it’s important to include these details so the FDA can accurately evaluate the risk.

Types of Food-Safe Recycled Plastics

The term “food-safe recycled plastics” refers to a variety of post-consumer recycled (PCR) plastics used in packaging. Next, we will explore the different types of food packaging available and their benefits to better understand which recyclable materials are most suitable for various use cases.

Recycled High-Density Polyethylene (rHDPE)

High Density Polyethylene (HDPE) is one of the most commonly recycled plastic materials. Recycled High Density Polyethylene, or rHDPE, is made from stable chemicals that are also lightweight. It’s chemically resistant, meaning it’s less likely to transfer contaminants to the food. The major drawback is that the quality of rHDPE varies widely based on the source of the plastic and recycling process.

Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate (rPET)

Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) is another one of the most commonly recycled plastics. Recycled Polyethylene Terephthalate, or rPET, is lightweight and durable, and it’s known for being heat-resistant, making it a common choice for beverages. The main drawback is that rPET is one of the more expensive types of recycled packaging, which can have a significant impact on companies trying to keep their budget to a minimum.

Recycled Polypropylene (rPP)

rPP is most often used to cap or close other types of packaging. It’s an excellent choice if you need a flexible packaging material that can stay strong against staff or customer manipulations, such as lids for margarine or trays for frozen foods. It’s important to know that rPP is not a widely used material, though new technology is making rPP more accessible for smaller and medium-sized brands.

Recycled Polystyrene (rPS)

rPolystyrene is the least common recycled food packaging, largely due to its chemical properties and the available recycling infrastructure. However, thorough cleaning and rigorous quality control can certainly help, it’s harder to maintain consistency across the process.

Why Use Food-Safe Recycled Plastics?

There are a few key benefits of using food-safe recycled plastic packaging:

• Reduce plastic waste: Every day, our landfills and oceans fill up with plastics, adding to the tonnage of existing plastic waste. With recycled plastics, you can significantly cut down on your environmental impact.
• Lowered carbon emissions: While each type of plastic is different, you can potentially use up to 80% less carbon to recycle plastic than to make new plastic.
• Branding benefits: If you want to take part in the circular economy, you have to do more than label your products as sustainable. Safe plastic packaging assures customers that they’re making a responsible choice.
• Compliance: Compliance standards may be high, but they protect your customers while satisfying all the FDA regulations (and avoiding major fines).
• Conserve resources: Plastic eats into our fossil fuels, tearing into our resources and leaving a decreased supply. Recycled plastic food packaging ensures that we’re making the best use of what we already have.

How to Choose Food-Safe Recycled Plastics for Your Product Packaging?

The best way to choose food-safe recycled plastics is to consider the questions from multiple angles. Below we’ll look at everything from material properties to products to compliance.

Assess the Type of Food Product

rPET and rHDPE are good for beverages, dairy, and frozen foods, because they’re moisture and light resistant. You can consider other types of recycled goods, like rPP for items like lids or beverage caps. You’ll also need to take into account the price point and customer expectations. If you’re selling a luxury good, rPET may feel flimsier to the customer — even when it offers similar durability to rHDPE.

Consider Regulatory Compliance

Companies aren’t just limited by the FDA, they’re limited by the types of recycling technology that they have access to. While the FDA may conduct much of its affairs via letter, they reserve the right to spot-test companies to ensure they’re meeting compliance standards. It’s critical to understand how the recycling process is done and what steps are taken to protect the customer before choosing a type of material.

Look for Customization Options

If you want your brand to stand out on the shelves, a custom package design makes it possible to promote sustainability and showcase the ultimate value to the customer. If certain types of recyclable packaging either limit your options or produce inconsistent options (e.g., different colors, shapes, etc.), you may need to consider a supplier who understands your brand values.

Our Recycled Plastic Packaging Solutions for Food and Beverages

At Paramount Global, we offer a wide range of plastic packaging options for the food and beverage industry. Our team ensures that all options maintain consistency throughout the production process, adhering to regulatory requirements so companies can meet sustainability goals without introducing new contaminants to their foods and drinks. Here, we’ll look at a few basic categories and their best use cases.

H3: Recycled-Plastic Jars

Product	Recycled-Plastics	Use Cases
Plastic Wide Mouth Jars	rHDPE or rPET	Powders, nut butters and spreads, pickled foods and sauces.
Straight-Sided Canister	rHDPE	Foods, powders, and supplements.
Regular Wall Jar	rPP	Food and other applications.
Square Pinch Grip Jars	rPET	Spices, seasonings, snacks, and confectionary.

Recycled-Plastic Bottles

Product	Recycled-Plastics	Use Cases
Juice Bottle	rPET	Great for juice, soda, water, and other beverage products.
Boston Round Bottles	rPET and rHDPE	Beverages and other applications.

Recycled-Plastic Jugs

Product	Recycled-Plastics	Use Cases
Industrial Round Jugs	rHDPE	Sauces and condiments.

Get Expert Guidance on Food-Safe Recycled Plastics

If you’re looking for more information on sustainable packaging solutions, Paramount Global has the expertise to help you select and implement the right recycles for all your food products. Our packaging specialists understand not just compliance metrics, but also how packaging options impact brand perception. To learn more, explore our catalog, request a quote, or contact us to further discuss your needs.