Iranpolymer/Baspar Spain-based plastics technology centre AIMPLAS is leading a new multi-facility research project named DECONWASTE, a project designed to upgrade plastic packaging recycling, with the ultimate goal of enabling the resulting material to be safely reprocessed into food contact applications.
Driven by the circular economy and sustainability imperatives, DECONWASTE is focused on the development of advanced methods for cleaning and decontaminating recycled plastics, with a specific emphasis on polyolefins – materials widely used in packaging. The project will explore new decontamination techniques to transform post-consumer waste into safe, recycled materials that meet the stringent guidelines of the European Food Safety Authority (EFSA).
While PET recycling is well-established, for polyolefin recycling there are numerous technical hurdles to be surmounted. “Their wide range of uses, the presence of multiple additives, and their chemical behaviour make decontamination processes more complex and require specialized technologies,” explained Adrián Morales, lead researcher in mechanical recycling at AIMPLAS. Additionally, the inability to easily distinguish between food and non-food packaging during recycling, or to trace the food-related origin of recycled packaging, complicates subsequent processing stages.
“For this reason, it is essential to research and develop new effective decontamination methods that address these challenges and ensure the safety of recycled materials for food contact use,” Morales added. He noted that the initiative aims ‘not only to comply with European regulations and directives but also to ensure consumer protection and trust in packaged food products’.
DECONWASTE is committed to developing solutions that overcome these obstacles, ensuring that recycled polyolefins meet the safety standards required for reuse in food applications, and enabling companies, especially SMEs, to incorporate recycled materials into their production processes with confidence, assured safety and traceability.
The alliance formed to carry the project consists of ACTECO, SPBERNER, and PICDA – companies dedicated to innovation and sustainability. These partners are actively involved in validating the developed technologies. The DECONWASTE project aligns with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), specifically goals 8, 9, and 12.
The project is receiving funding from the Valencian Institute for Competitiveness and Innovation (IVACE+i) through the 2024 call for Strategic Cooperation Projects, with additional support from the European Regional Development Fund (ERDF).
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