In December, the World Trade Organisation (WTO) published the intention of the European Union (EU) to issue a new project for regulations for recycled plastics intended to come into contact with food. The following points are of particular interest:
– To establish standards for the sale of recycled plastics for use with food, the development and operation of recycling processes for the manufacture of plastics for use with food, the use of recycled plastics in contact with food and recyclable plastics in contact with food.
– To establish requirements for recycling technologies.
– To require that recycled plastic and components of recycled plastic meet a series of criteria when marketed and sold.
– To lay down documentation, instructions and labelling.
– To describe the requirements to be met by recycling companies.
– To specify the criteria for the development and listing of new recycling technologies.
– To define the authorisation procedures for individual recycling processes
– To require recyclers to provide a declaration of conformity (DoC, Part A of Annex III of the standardisation project)
– To clarify the scope of plastic materials and components and their origin
If approved, the standardisation project will replace Commission Regulation (EC) No 282/2008 of 27 March 2008 on recycled plastic materials and articles intended to come into contact with foods.
According to the notification from the OMC, it is proposed that the standardisation project come into effect on the 20th July 2022 (20 days after the publication of the DOUE).
