Avantium has secured approval in Japan for recycling its plant-based plastic, releaf, a polyethylene furanoate (PEF), within the country’s polyethylene terephthalate (PET) bottle system.
The Council for PET Bottle Recycling (CPBR) granted the clearance, a key step for the material’s adoption in Japan’s beverage packaging market.
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CPBR oversees efforts to encourage and assess the recycling of PET beverage containers in Japan.
The Dutch renewable and circular polymer specialist stated that CPBR assessed releaf when used as a barrier layer in multilayer PET bottles.
The council concluded it can be processed safely and effectively in the existing PET stream at levels of up to 10% by weight.
CPBR assigned an overall recyclability rating of A to bottles containing PEF, indicating suitability for bottle-to-bottle recycling.
Releaf, produced with YXY technology, met the required physical, chemical and processability criteria, and complies with Japan’s Positive List for food-contact plastics.
It also aligns with standards and criteria for foods and additives set by Japan’s Ministry of Health, Labour and Welfare, as well as applicable US food and Drugs Administration regulations.
The decision follows previous recyclability recognitions for PEF from the European PET bottle platform and the Association of Plastic Recyclers in the US.
Avantium Asia business development manager Yuzhong Chen stated: “We sincerely thank all the companies in Japan that supported Avantium during the CPBR assessment.
“Their collaboration was vital in demonstrating that releaf can be successfully recycled within Japan’s PET bottle stream while preserving high material quality. This joint effort underscores a shared commitment to advancing plant-based, recyclable packaging solutions in Japan.”
Avantium signed a joint development agreement in February 2025 with Amcor Rigid Packaging USA to further the use of releaf in sustainable packaging solutions.
