Spectra broaden Prevented Ocean Plastic commitment with EU food-contact approved rPP

Spectra Packaging has announced a major expansion of its Prevented Ocean Plastic (POP) commitment by confirming the successful validation and availability of EU food-contact approved recycled polypropylene (rPP) for closures.

This latest development is part of Spectra’s long-term POP commitment, building on the successful introduction of rPET in 2022, rHDPE in 2023, and rPP materials last year into our recycled content offering.

We are proud to be an early adopter in this global collaboration, which has yielded the “first ever” food-safe polypropylene (PP) recycled to the stringent European standard (EU 2022/1616). This milestone marks the first rPP authorised for food-contact applications in Europe, making it a monumental moment for ocean plastic prevention and circularity.

We are: delivering circularity without compromise

Spectra has been integral in bringing this breakthrough to market alongside partners including Innovia Films, Bantam Materials UK Ltd and PETMAN, utilising Starlinger Viscotec technology, and supported by Circulate Capital and Danone. While polypropylene is common in everyday items like cups, bottles and caps, it has historically been difficult and costly to recycle at scale, often being downcycled or left to litter natural environments.

Through this new initiative, Spectra is now equipped to use the high-quality, food-safe rPP material, sourced via the POP controlled collection and sorting process in Indonesia, for injection moulding closures.

Gavin Chenery, Commercial Director at Spectra Packaging, said: Through close collaboration across our valued supply chain, we’ve validated an EU-compliant, food-contact-safe rPP process that meets regulatory expectations and matches the performance our customers expect. This milestone proves circularity without compromise, enabling our customers to lift recycled content at scale with confidence, while keeping existing PP formats, tooling, and the consumer experience unchanged.

Expanding our POP impact

Spectra’s ability to integrate this EU food-contact approved rPP into closures ensures that brands serving the food and beverage sectors, in addition to personal care, pet products and household cleaning, can incorporate high levels of recycled content into their products with regulatory assurance.

Gavin added: This latest development continues our commitment to the Prevented Ocean Plastic programme, reflecting how deeply invested we are not just in the material, but in the entire initiative as a whole. It’s a practical path to lower-impact packaging today and a stronger circular economy tomorrow.

For more information about Spectra’s POP commitment visit: https://www.spectra-packaging.co.uk/prevented-ocean-plastic/

This article was originally published by Spectra Packaging.