Meaning
Regulatory letters issued by American food safety administrators confirm that a specific recycling process produces post consumer resin of sufficient purity for food packaging. Obtaining an FDA non objection is the primary hurdle for polymer recyclers aiming to sell materials for direct food contact applications in the United States. This letter certifies the efficacy of the decontamination system.
Challenge Test
Recyclers must subject their decontamination equipment to a rigorous cleaning evaluation using specific chemical surrogates to simulate worst case consumer misuse. This challenge test determines if the process can achieve the necessary cleaning efficiency to qualify for an FDA non objection letter. The results must prove that migration of any residual chemical is negligible, which involves analyzing the polymer after decontamination to ensure that chemical concentrations are below the established dietary exposure threshold.
Resin Classification
Post consumer resins are categorized into different tiers based on their source materials and the intended food contact conditions. A process receiving an FDA non objection must specify the allowed polymer type, the temperature conditions and the maximum recycled content percentage. These limits define the boundary of the certification.
Economic Impact
Virgin resin pricing often fluctuates while certified recycled food grade resins command a stable premium. Securing an FDA non objection allows recyclers to access high value packaging markets that are closed to standard utility grade regrind. This access improves the long term financial viability of the recycling plant.
