White Paper: Ensuring Quality Assurance for Recycled Plastic Packaging

Navigating challenges in the circular economy: ensuring quality assurance for recycled plastic packaging incorporating mechanically recycled materials through testing and assurance strategies.

Using recycled content in packaging is essential in addressing the escalating environmental crisis posed by plastic waste and depleting natural resources. This whitepaper examines the significant challenges recycled plastics packaging stakeholders face—including regulatory pressures, technical hurdles, and consumer acceptance—in this transformative journey. It highlights the necessity of ensuring material quality and effective quality assurance strategies to foster trust in sustainability claims and facilitate the advancement of a robust circular economy. 

Key regulatory developments, such as the European Commission's 2020 Circular Economy Action Plan and the 2024 Packaging and Packaging Waste Regulation (PPWR), are critical milestones in harmonizing packaging requirements across the EU. These regulations aim to promote recycled plastic packaging and reusable packaging, ultimately improving recycling rates and driving innovation in recycling technologies. 

Effective analytical assessment of recycled plastic packaging begins with a clear understanding of supply chain needs and regulatory requirements. This paper highlights the need for screening studies and targeted analysis focusing on known contaminants and material behaviour, particularly migration and non-intentionally added substances, which informs toxicological risk assessments for specific applications. While analytical testing is crucial, we also touch on the need for robust independent verification of sustainability claims, which is essential to build trust and credibility in the market. 

Download our white paper now to get the insights you need to drive quality assurance for recycled plastic packaging, which can help build stakeholder and consumer confidence.