Borealis greenlit by FDA for PCR plastics in cosmetics, personal care and food applications

01 Apr 2024 --- Borealis secures a Letters of No Objection (LNOs) from the US FDA, affirming the safe use of specific grades of its Borcycle M PCR plastics. The LNOs pave the way for Borcycle M-derived materials to be used in a specific range of “demanding and sensitive applications,” including cosmetics and personal care.

Borcycle M is outed as a transformational mechanical recycling technology that processes post-consumer plastic waste with energy savings.

The FDA authority issued two LNOs allowing Borcycle M PCR high-density PE (HDPE) and PP to be used up to 100% in certain dry food contact applications. 

Additionally, these recycled materials can constitute up to 10% of packaging for dry foods with surface oil and moist bakery products. The FDA’s LNOs are effective from January 2024 for recycled HDPE, and from February 2024 for recycled PP.

“Our customers will be able to expand the use of value-added, recycled plastics within their portfolios,” explains Jonatas Melo, Borealis’ vice president for Performance Materials.

“Combined with all of Borealis’ other sustainable offerings, this FDA clearance of selected grades of our Borcycle M portfolio for food-grade applications will help them achieve their sustainability targets and bring us all closer to a fully circular economy for plastics.”

Moving forward beyond US
Borealis is now “poised to move forward” with the development of selected food packaging applications from recycled HDPE and PP.

“This marks a major milestone for Borealis, helping us to live our purpose of reinventing essentials for sustainable living,” says Mirjam Mayer, Borealis’ vice president of Circular Economy Solutions.

The FDA’s LNOs apply in the US, as well as other regions covered by FDA governance. In the EU, the FDA clearance will facilitate conversations on the use of these materials in “high-end, contact-sensitive” cosmetics and personal care packaging applications, shares Borealis.

In other activities, Borealis recently acquired Integra Plastics AD, a Bulgarian advanced mechanical recycler. Integra Plastics AD operates a modern advanced mechanical recycling plant and transforms post-consumer waste into high-quality polyolefin recyclates suitable for demanding applications.

Edited by Benjamin Ferrer