Scientific Opinion on the safety assessment of the process “RPC Cobelplast” used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials

This scientific opinion of the EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes, Flavourings and Processing Aids deals with the safety assessment of the recycling process RPC Cobelplast (EU register No RECYC099) which is based on the Bandera® technology. The input of the process is washed and dried PET flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, mainly bottles, containing no more than 5 % of PET from non-food consumer applications. Through this process, post-consumer washed and dried PET flakes are mixed with typically 50 % virgin PET flakes before being extruded under vacuum into sheets. Having examined the challenge tests provided, the Panel concluded that the decontamination in the extruder under vacuum degassing is the critical step for the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control its performance are well defined and are temperature, pressure and residence time. The operating parameters of this step in the process are at least as severe as those obtained from the challenge test. Under these conditions, it was demonstrated that the recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below a conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 μg/kg food. Therefore, the recycled PET obtained from the process RPC Cobelplast intended for the manufacture of recycled thermoformed trays and containers made with up to 100 % recycled post-consumer PET and intended for contact for long term storage at room temperature with all types of foodstuffs is not considered of safety concern.