Food safety is one of the key drivers for the PET value chain as most PET packaging is used for beverages and other foodstuffs.
The presence of NIAS (Non-Intentionally Added Substances) and contaminants in PET has been tracked and documented for years but still, with the evolution of scientific knowledge and measurement methods, new challenges appear and push the industry to better identify, quantify and control NIAS in the whole value chain.
PET as such is fully safe, nevertheless the recycling processes may carry over cross contaminations that can remain unremoved or degrade into undesired substances. The whole purpose of this working group is to support the identification, control and reduction of any contamination to levels that do not pose any concern for human health. The NIAS WG works to support the industry in this by:
- Giving recommendations on the methods and supporting standardisation and/or alignment of methods to identify and measure NIAS in the value chain,
- Monitoring NIAS in the full value chain with the GENI initiative (GEneral NIas)
- As part of the NIAS WG the GENI initiative is also there to risk assess NIAS and contaminants, identify origin and give recommendations to industry to reduce presence of NIAS
- Supporting the recyclers, members of PETCORE EUROPE in fulfilling their regulatory obligations in terms of monitoring required by EU 2022/1616.
