Recycled Plastics for Food Packaging Application - Functional Barrier Testing

Currently, a starting up process for development of testing and evaluation procedures for recycled polymers for food packaging use can be recognized. The inherent novelty character of this situation explains the uncertainty and reserve of the food and packaging industry towards packaging developments on the basis of recycled polymers. In Europe, the national regulatory point of views are differing completely, ranging from banning recycled polymers to setting them principally equal to virgin material concerning the food legislative requirements to be fulfilled. The German BgVV which introduced the latter opinion first in Europe has generated with this a solid fundament for corresponding packaging development and testing activities. At this time, generally agreed or standardized test procedures are far from being available. In the moment, individual test procedures are to be established case-by-case. In the last few years, the FhILV has undertaken considerable research efforts to elabora te the needed test and evaluation procedures, also with the aim to propose them for future European standards. This presentation introduces the principles of such test procedures and illustrates them by presenting practical examples and results obtained from industry supported R&D activities.