INNOTECH (Grupo Lantero’s research and development center for packaging solutions) has announced the successful completion of trials with the full range of yogurt cup formats. The trials addressed formats used in both European and American markets using Styrolution PS ECO 440FC MR100 material, a 100% post-consumer recycled polystyrene grade produced from household food packaging waste. All dairy formats have been produced and tested to food contact standards.

The trials at INNOTECH show that mechanically recycled PS is produced and successfully tested to food grade standards across all shapes and sizes of dairy applications. According to the findings, polystyrene is not only the best material for dairy applications but also offers the shortest path to circularity for existing market applications. Members of the entire value chain, and in particular retailers and brand owners, are encouraged and invited to participate and understand what this could mean for polystyrene and for their respective businesses.

Gonzalo Sanchez, head of recycling within COEXPAN, comments: “It is a massive achievement to be able to confirm the success of this exercise, and the results speak for themselves.  Many brand owners want the polystyrene journey to continue, and we now have proof that mechanically recycled polystyrene offers a solution for their food contact applications. This will allow customers to concentrate on their core business rather than looking for alternative materials requiring changes to existing processes and investments into new equipment.”

Dr. Frank Eisenträger, Product Director Polystyrene EMEA, says: “We have expected for quite some time that polystyrene is an ideal material for the circular economy. Now we have the proof that it is indeed one of the best, if not the best recyclable polymer. In fact, polystyrene is all set now to enjoy the highest recycling rates of all polymers. I expect the quality of the mechanically recycled polystyrene to be so convincing that we will see applications that moved on to other materials switch back to polystyrene as new recycling capacities come online.”