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FSSAI now permits use of recycled plastics for pkg food
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Thursday, 10 February, 2022, 08 : 00 AM [IST]
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Ashwani Maindola, New Delhi
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FSSAI has issued a direction regarding the operationalisation of the draft related to the use of recycled plastics for the purpose of packaging by the food industry.
These regulations say that ‘products made of recycled plastics including carry bags may be used for packaging, storing, carrying or dispensing of food products as and when standards and guidelines are framed by the food authority. Such packaging materials shall also comply with any other national standards/regulations as applicable’.
This proviso will replace the sub clause (e) related to plastic materials intended to come in contact with food products, under clause 4 related to specific requirements for primary food packaging, in the packaging regulations.
Earlier under clause (e), the use of recycled plastics material was prohibited for food contact material.
As the food authority is in process of notifying the regulations related to the use of recycled plastics as food contact material, and according to the FSSAI, it was taking some more time for the final notification, the food authority has decided to operationlise these regulations.
Called the FSS (Packaging) Amendment Regulations 2022 permitting the use of recycled plastics as food contact material, these regulations were based on the Plastic Waste Management (Amendment) Rules 2021 notified in September’21 and recommendations of the FSSAI Scientific Panel on packaging material.
FSSAI has stated that it has been decided to operationalise the provision of these regulations from January 18, 2022, to allow the FBOs to make use of recycled plastics as food contact material.
“Accordingly, the approved guidelines for recycling of post consumer PET for food contact applications and acceptance criteria for recycled PET resin for food contact applications is also made effective for implementation,” read FSSAI’s statement in this regard.
The guidelines pertain to the recycling process/operation of transforming post consumer PET bottles used for food packaging into food grade recycled PET resins suitable for making bottles and packaging material for bottling or packaging and its testing. The guidelines also cover the acceptance criteria for using food grade recycled PET resin material in bottling or packaging operations.
However, these guidelines do not apply to industrial rejected PET bottles along with production of resins for non-food grade consumer applications.
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