US FDA approves Pure Cycle’s recycled plastic resin for food contact

17 Jun 2024 --- Pure Cycle Technologies received a Letter of No Objection (LNO) from the US Food & Drug Administration (FDA) confirming the food-contact applicability of its PureFive Ultra-Pure Recycled resin.

The resin has the same usage conditions as virgin PP and can be used across various food packaging applications such as frozen food storage and microwaveable packaging. It is also suitable for cosmetic and personal care packaging use. 

“This is another big step for our company and will allow Pure Cycle to expand our impact and further support brand owners and processors across the globe,” says Pure Cycle’s CEO Dustin Olson. 

“Many of our partners have been waiting for this news and we are excited to work with them to approve this product for their food packaging.”

The LNO builds on a previous no-objection letter to Pure Cycle from the FDA, considering PureFive Ultra-Pure Recycled resin to be suitable for contact with all food types under FDA’s Conditions of Use A through H. 

The FDA says that Pure Cycle may provide a wider range of feedstock, including curbside materials sorted for food-grade. Currently, the company purchases food-grade and non-food-grade feedstocks for the purification operations. 

Pure Cycle previously received an LNO for all food types under Conditions of Use E through G, using food-grade post-consumer recycled feedstock collected at stadiums and other point sources.

The FDA feedback is the result of feed preparation and purification through Pure Cycle’s Feedstock Evaluation Unit, sample-gathering and extensive component challenge testing in preparation for the final submission, says the recycler.