“I’ve heard that recycled plastic can contain toxic chemicals. Is this true?”

Until very recently PET (the type of plastic we use for our bottles) was the only plastic that could be recycled into products for food contact applications, such as drinks bottles, however under brand new strict EU legislation and guidance PP can now also be used. When plastics are recycled this may condense any toxins with which the original plastics came into contact. It is for this reason that there are tight regulations around which different types of plastics can be used for food-grade recycled content.

When plastic packaging products are used to contain toxic chemicals, this can contaminate the recycled material, such as HDPE bottles of bleach for example. For this reason, any input/feedstock material for a recycling plant producing either food-grade rPET or rPP must be produced from previously food grade material (virgin or recycled) and have been used for a food-safe application, i.e. a water bottle. There are strict procedural controls over the sourcing of such materials by our rPET bottle manufacturer, as you would expect.

Alongside a tightly regulated feedstock, food-grade plastic recycling involves a rigorous washing, drying, and screening process to ensure cleanliness and remove any contaminants. The pellets or flakes produced are then tested for contamination ensuring they meet food safety regulations before they are ever used for products - if they fail this test they will not be used. With this regulated system, including tests and audits, the toxicity of recycled food-grade plastic is controlled and maintained within current health guidelines, and the good news is that these regulations are only getting more stringent.

We support even greater tightening of regulation on recycling and food safety. We would also welcome and encourage increased investment in more new recycling plants and it’s why we only source our rPET bottles from a supplier who uses the very latest technology.