Recycled plastic crates for food use

The project centred on a fleet of 2 million RTP crates used by Sainsbury’s which were nearing the end of their working life. In the past, food-grade crates could not be fabricated from recycled plastic as the safety of the material could not always be guaranteed. However, as Sainsbury’s existing trays had been used in a closed distribution loop and therefore traced at all stages of their life cycle, it would be possible to recycle them into new food-grade containers.

Schoeller Allibert therefore set about gaining approval under the European Food Standards Authority (EFSA) for its recycling processes in order to guarantee the safety of its recycled plastic crates for direct contact with food. The result is the first plastic RTP in the UK to be 100 per cent recycled while also being safe for contact with food including fresh produce, meat and fish, and bakery products.