increase its use of recycled PET and throughout the 1980s and early 1990s increased their processing capacity and consequently the market demand for post-consumer PET. The major event in Wellman’ร development of post-consumer PET processing capacity was the vertical integration of the recycled PET it processed into its own product lines. Another was the development of the first textile fiber manufactured from 100% recycled PET in 1993, called “Eco Spun,” which is now a familiar fabric material particularly ๒ sportswear where it was first used. Today, St. Jude and Wellman are joined by more than a dozen other companies, whose combined PET recycling processing capacity produces over 1/2 billion pounds of recycled PET resin annually.
With recent advances in PET recycling technology, it is now possible to “close the loop,” by recycling bottles and containers back into bottles and containers, even in some food-contact packaging applications. The federal Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has issued “letters of non-objection” for the use of post-consumer PET in a number of food-contact packaging applications. This has greatly increased the demand for recycled PET plastic and the ability to produce new PET packages from 100%, post-consumer recycled PET plastic.
Based on data compiled from the FDA, at least 20 letters of nonobjection for the use of post¬consumer PET in food-contact packaging applications were issued between January, 1991 and July, 1996. There are three generic types of food-contact packaging applications/processes for which the use of post-consumer recycled PET has been issued letters of nonobjection. They are “depolymerization” processes that chemically break down PET plastic into its component chemicals, which are then “repolymerized” and made into new PET food contact packages; multi-layer, or laminated food-contact containers where post-consumer PET is combined with a virgin PET food-contact layer; and, frill-contact food packaging containers where 100% post-consumer PET is used.
The first food-contact application using components derived from the depolymerization of post-consumer PET was issued a letter of non-objection in January of 1991. The first frill-contact food packaging application to receive a letter of non-objection was in April, 1991, for the use of post-consumer recycled PET in quart and pint baskets for fruits and vegetables. The next major achievements came in August, 1992 when the FDA issued letters of non-objection for the use of post-consumer PET in tri-laminated clamshell containers, and containers for prepared bakery and deli products that contained a virgin PET food-contact layer. In April, 1993, the first letter of non-objection was issued for the use of recycled PET in tri-laminated soft drink bottles with a virgin PET food-contact layer. And, in 1994, a major PET soft drink bottle manufacturer was the first US company to receive a letter of non-objection to make a soft drink container from 100% recycled post-consumer PET plastic.
Food-contact packaging applications are one of the largest uses of PET plastic resin in the United States.