EcoBlue rPET receives nonobjection letter from US FDA

Thailand-based EcoBlue has announced that its 3D Pure rPET (recycled polyethylene terephthalate) range has received a letter of no objection (LNO) from the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, indicating it is suitable for food-contact packaging.

EcoBlue’s 3D Pure rPET range includes high-intrinsic-viscosity rPET that is suitable for PET bottle applications and amorphous rPET that is suitable for PET film and polyester filament applications, the company says.

According to the LNO, 3D Pure bottle grade rPET can be used at levels up to 100 percent in manufacturing articles for food-contact packaging that is boiling-water sterilized; hot-filled or pasteurized above 150 F; hot-filled or pasteurized below 150 F; room-temperature filled and stored (no thermal treatment in the container); refrigerated (no thermal treatment in the container); frozen (no thermal treatment in the container); and frozen or refrigerated for ready-prepared foods intended to be reheated in the container at the time of use. The LNO also applies to 3D Pure regular rPET that can be used at levels up to 100 percent in manufacturing articles food-contact packaging that is hot-filled or pasteurized above 150 F; hot-filled or pasteurized below 150 F; room-temperature filled and stored (no thermal treatment in the container); refrigerated (no thermal treatment in the container); and frozen (no thermal treatment in the container).

The company says it is the first recycling company in Thailand with U.S. FDA approval for its rPET, which is produced using three-dimensional filtration technology to provide the purity of a virgin polymer. EcoBlue’s 3D Pure rPET also is Global Recycling Standard (GRS) Certified as being made of 100 percent postconsumer PET.