Actega offers TPE solutions for sensitive applications area

Wesel, Germany -Against the backdrop of constant changes in the field of food contact applications and increasingly strict EU regulations, such as the obligation to offer reusable solutions for all those who offer disposable packaging, which has been in force since 2023, and the ban on certain plastic bottles and packaging that has been in force since the beginning of the year, manufacturers and distributors of such products are facing major challenges. Among other things, it is important to identify materials in a timely manner with which high-quality reusable solutions and safe food contact can be realized. TPE materials, especially those that also have ISCC Plus certification, offer solutions for all food contact applications and other sensitive market areas and thus alternatives to other common materials such as soft PVC or silicone.

An EU-wide regulation for food contact materials has been in force since EU Regulation 1935/2004 of October 2004. Since then, numerous regulations have been added. With the aim of getting the flood of plastic under control, manufacturers and suppliers of disposable packaging have been obliged to offer additional reusable solutions since the beginning of 2023. Violations are subject to penalties. At the beginning of the year, a further step was taken: certain plastic bottles and packaging are now banned. The background to this is the bisphenol A (BPA) discussion. This has been a matter of controversy for 30 years. The hormonally active substance, which was originally intended to be used in estrogen therapy, was considered potentially harmful to health at an early stage. Since 2016, it has been officially classified as “probably harmful to human reproduction”, which can affect both fertility and the development of the fetus. In addition, obesity, breast cancer and behavioral disorders in children are discussed as further risks associated with BPA. BPA is often used as a plasticizer, particularly in PVC processing. Since it is not firmly embedded in the plastic, it can dissolve out and migrate from packaging into food. According to the World Health Organization (WHO), BPA and other plasticizers are “endocrine disruptors” that can seriously disrupt hormone levels even in small quantities. The EU has therefore issued a BPA ban for packaging that comes into contact with food, which applies to plastic bottles, tetrapaks and cans, among other things.

TPE materials, which have long been used in food contact, but also in many other areas such as consumer goods, medicine, pharmaceuticals, and a number of other industries, are once again of great importance here because they are “naturally” free of plasticizers and therefore also BPA-free. TPEs are food-compliant and, thanks to their processing technology, conserve resources and save energy. TPE materials in food contact have been in use for almost 50 years. One of the pioneers is Actega. It all started here in the early 1980s with PVC and plasticizer-free sealants for crown caps and aluminum closures. Today, a broad portfolio of TPE materials is offered that can be used for closures and packaging, for the medical and pharmaceutical sectors, for all types of consumer goods, and for kitchen utensils for preparing, storing, cooking, and baking. For example, ProvaMould® 1190 NC is a TPE material that is suitable for reusable coffee-to-go cups. The natural-colored TPE, optimized for injection molding, impresses with its tightness, appealing feel and individual colorability. It is also dishwasher safe.

To support the reusable concept, the company offers additional ISCC Plus certified variants and thus relies on a world-leading certification system. ISCC Plus (International Sustainability & Carbon Certification), a recognized system for mass balance certifications, corresponds to the European Commission’s “Renewable Energy Directive RED”. The proportion of bio-based raw materials is mathematically allocated to the finished products. This systematically reduces the use of fossil raw materials and promotes the use of bio-based and circular raw materials. The aim is to ensure the traceability of raw materials across the entire value chain, which includes both proof of origin for raw materials and materials, as well as the fact that all companies along the value chain must be ISCC Plus certified. Used as a drop-in solution to conventional TPE, customers receive a product that is chemically identical to their existing product. This means that the previous processing parameters remain the same and requalification or recertification of the material is not necessary.

The way out of the jungle of regulations and paragraphs can be offered by plasticizer-free and therefore BPA-free, food-compliant thermoplastic elastomers with ISCC Plus certification. Because the next, stricter regulations are coming.