Prevented Ocean Plastic, in collaboration with industry partners, has unveiled the first food-safe recycled polypropylene (PP) that meets European food safety standards.
Polypropylene is widely used in packaging such as trays, bottles, caps, cups and flexible films.
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Despite its prevalence, global post-consumer recycling rates for the material remain around 1%.
It is also identified as the second most common form of plastic polluting marine environments.
This initiative could prevent 500 million PP cups from reaching the ocean during its first year of operation – enough to circle the Earth more than once.
The materials are collected from facilities including the newly established East Borneo centre, which opened in 2024 as part of a partnership between Danone and Prevented Ocean Plastic.
Companies involved in the project include Bantam Materials UK, Circulate Capital, Innovia Films, a division of CCL Industries, Spectra Packaging, PETMAN, Starlinger Viscotec and Danone-supported Prevented Ocean Plastic collection efforts in Indonesia.
The collected PP is processed into food-safe recycled PP (rPP) by PETMAN using Starlinger Viscotec technology, with Bantam Materials UK supplying the rPP to offtakers such as Innovia and Spectra.
Innovia Films recycling and sustainability technology expert Neil Hudson stated: “For Innovia, a source of EU food contact-approved polypropylene (PP) from a mechanically recovered post-consumer source is a game changer.
“We can now make films for label and flexible packaging in the food and beverage space and contribute to circularity and sustainability.”
Since October 2024, Prevented Ocean Plastic has implemented a scaleable franchise model for collection, backed by Danone Aqua.
This model is designed to be replicated in vulnerable coastal communities, enhancing plastic collection capacity and contributing to pollution reduction.
Prevented Ocean Plastic founder Raffi Schieir said: “This world-first is a monumental moment for ocean plastic prevention.
“This further proves that the Prevented Ocean Plastic franchise model can solve major plastic collection problems at scale and with dignity.”
