Food-grade recycled plastic is recycled material that has been decontaminated to a level considered safe for direct contact with food and drink. Ordinary recycling removes dirt; food-grade recycling must also remove chemicals that may have migrated into the plastic during its previous life.
This requires controlled feedstock, an approved decontamination process and strict traceability. Bottle-to-bottle rPET is the most established example worldwide. In India, the use of recycled plastic in food-contact packaging is regulated by the Food Safety and Standards Authority of India (FSSAI), which sets the conditions under which it is allowed. Recycled polyethylene and polypropylene are mainly used in non-food applications such as home-care bottles, secondary packaging, film and industrial products.
