Food safety consultation: Ocean bound plastics

Call for evidence on the use of recycled plastic, originating from ocean-bound/cycle schemes and similar environmental collection, in food contact material products

The Food Standards Agency (FSA) is seeking evidence in relation to how business operators propose to, or currently, carry out their own risk assessment to determine the safe use of recycled plastic that has been sourced from the open environment (ocean, ‘ocean-bound’ or land), in food contact material products.

This call for evidence will be of most interest to:

• plastic manufacturers, converters, retailers and interested parties
• any business that is using or actively investigating the potential use in food contact material (FCM) products of recycled plastic, whose starting material is sourced from the open environment

Call for evidence subject

The FSA is seeking evidence in relation to how business operators propose to, or currently, carry out their own risk assessment to determine the safe use of recycled plastic that has been sourced from the open environment (ocean, ‘ocean-bound’ or land), in FCM products. This needs to take account of sourcing from countries whose regulatory standards and waste management strategies differ to those of the UK/EU and where information on previous use and/or misuse are less certain.

Purpose of the call for evidence

As “ocean-bound” plastic is a relatively new concept in FCM products, the call for evidence will help to assess this and similar material, and identify any potential risks to human health in its expected use. Information in relation to the use of plastic obtained from the environment in FCM products will inform the independent Scientific Advisory Committee's (SACs) risk assessment and the Food Standards Agency (FSA)/Food Standards Scotland (FSS) policy analysis on the safe use of this recycled plastic. 

Whilst there is no accepted definition of "ocean-bound" plastic, there are examples of definitions in the literature, one of which is What is Ocean Bound Plastic? - Ocean Bound Plastic Certification.

How to respond

Responses to this call for evidence should be sent to environmentalplastic@food.gov.uk by 18:00 on 20 September 2022. 

Access the full details of the Call for Evidence: Use of recycled plastic, originating from ocean-bound/cycle schemes and similar environmental collection, in food contact material products.