Safety assessment of the process 3R, based on NGR technology, used to recycle post‐consumer PET into food contact materials. (16th May 2022)

• Record Type: Journal Article
• Authors: Lambré, Claude; Barat Baviera, José Manuel; Bolognesi, Claudia; Chesson, Andrew; Cocconcelli, Pier Sandro; Crebelli, Riccardo; Gott, David Michael; Grob, Konrad; Mengelers, Marcel; Mortensen, Alicja; Rivière, Gilles; Steffensen, Inger‐Lise; Tlustos, Christina; Van Loveren, Henk; Vernis, Laurence; Zorn, Holger; Dudler, Vincent; Milana, Maria Rosaria; Papaspyrides, Constantine; Tavares Poças, Maria de Fátima; Lioupis, Alexandros; Lampi, Evgenia
• Is Part Of: EFSA journal. Volume 20:Number 5(2022)
• Page Start: n/a
• Page End: n/a
• Publication Date: 2022-05-16
• Subjects: NGR -- 3R S.R.L. -- melt‐state polycondensation -- food contact materials -- plastic -- poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) -- recycling process -- safety assessment; Food -- Europe -- Safety measures -- Periodicals; Food Safety; Food -- Safety measures; Europe; Periodicals; Periodicals; Fulltext; Government Publications, International; Internet Resources; Periodicals; Periodicals; 363.19209405
• DOI: 10.2903/j.efsa.2022.7272
• Languages: English
• ISSNs: 1831-4732

Abstract

Abstract: The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process 3R (EU register number RECYC237), which uses the NGR technology. The input is washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes mainly originating from collected post‐consumer PET containers, with no more than 5% PET from non‐food consumer applications. The flakes are dried (step 2), melted in an extruder (step 3) and decontaminated during a melt‐state polycondensation step under high temperature and vacuum (step 4). In step 5, the melt material is granulated. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the melt‐state polycondensation (step 4) is critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of the critical steps are the pressure, the temperature, the residence time (depending on the mass and throughput of the melt) and the characteristics of the reactor. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 μg/kg food. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not of safety concern, when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long‐term storage at room temperature. The final articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.