Against the backdrop of constant changes in food contact applications and increasingly strict EU regulations, manufacturers and distributors of such products are facing major challenges. TPE materials, especially those that have ISCC Plus certification, offer solutions for all food contact applications and other sensitive market areas.
ACTEGA
An EU-wide regulation for food contact materials has been in force since EU Regulation 1935/2004 of October 2004. This is why manufacturers and suppliers of disposable packaging have been obliged to offer additional reusable solutions since the beginning of 2023.
At the beginning of the year, a further step was taken: certain plastic bottles and packaging are now banned. The background to this is the discussion on bisphenol A (BPA), which has been controversial for 30 years. The hormonally active substance, which was originally intended to be used in estrogen therapy, was considered potentially harmful to health at an early stage. Since 2016, it has been officially classified as "probably harmful to human reproduction", which can affect both fertility and the foetus' development.
Obesity, breast cancer and behavioural disorders in children are discussed as further risks associated with BPA. BPA is often used as a plasticiser, particularly in PVC processing. Since it is not firmly embedded in the plastic, it can dissolve and migrate from packaging into food. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), BPA and other plasticisers are "endocrine disruptors" that can seriously disrupt hormone levels even in small quantities. Therefore, the EU has issued a BPA ban for packaging that comes into contact with food, which applies to plastic bottles, tetrapaks and cans, among other things.
TPE materials are essential because they are "naturally" free of plasticisers, hence BPA-free. They are food-compliant and conserve resources and energy thanks to their processing technology. TPE materials in food contact have been in use for almost 50 years.
Actega has worked on this since the early 1980s with PVC and plasticiser-free sealants for crown caps and aluminium closures. Today, the company offers a broad portfolio of TPE materials, which can be used for closures and packaging, the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, all consumer goods and kitchen utensils. For example, ProvaMould 1190 NC is a TPE material suitable for reusable coffee-to-go cups. The natural-coloured TPE, optimised for injection moulding, impresses with its tightness, appealing feel and individual colourability. It is also dishwasher safe.
The company offers additional ISCC Plus certified variants, relying on a world-leading certification system. ISCC Plus (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification), a recognised system for mass balance certifications, corresponds to the European Commission's "Renewable Energy Directive RED". The proportion of bio-based raw materials is mathematically allocated to the finished products, reducing fossil raw materials and promoting bio-based and circular raw materials.
The aim is to ensure the traceability of raw materials across the entire value chain, which includes proof of origin for raw materials and materials. In addition, all companies along the value chain must be ISCC Plus certified. Customers receive a product that is chemically identical to their existing product, meaning the previous processing parameters remain the same and recertification is not necessary.