Safety assessment of the process Fucine Film, based on the Reifenhäuser technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process Fucine Film (EU register number RECYC322), which uses the Reifenhäuser technology. The input material consists of hot caustic washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes mainly originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, including no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are extruded under vacuum into sheets. The recycled sheets are intended to be used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, excluded drinking water and beverages, for long-term storage at room temperature, with or without hotfill. Based on the limited data available, the Panel concluded that the information submitted to EFSA was inadequate to demonstrate that the recycling process Fucine Film is able to reduce potential unknown contamination of the input PET flakes to a concentration that does not pose a risk to human health.

Recyclability of elastomer toughened recycled poly(ethylene terephthalate): The effect of grinding-extrusion-injection moulding on the mechanical and morphological properties of the blend.

Reprocessing potential of recycled poly(ethylene-terephthalate) (RPET)/ethylene-butyl-acrylate-glycidyl methacrylate (EBA-GMA) blends was investigated. PET flakes from food packaging were compounded with 0, 5, 10, 15 and 20 % EBA-GMA. Injection moulded specimens were produced, and some of the specimens were grinded, and reproduced to simulate real reprocessing. It was revealed by scanning electron microscopy that the distribution and particle size of the elastomer did not change notably after recycling. Noticeable degradation of the polymer matrix was observable after every processing step. Such deterioration of PET resulted in higher crystallinity and rigid amorphous fraction, as found by differential scanning calorimetry, which ultimately led to higher storage modulus, while the notched impact strength and elongation at break decreased. Nevertheless, the mechanical performance of the reprocessed RPET/EBA-GMA blends still significantly outperforms that of the neat PET recyclate. The degree of chain breakage was found to be the primary factor determining the recyclability of RPET/EBA-GMA blends.

Optimization of Pressurized Alkaline Hydrolysis for Chemical Recycling of Post-Consumer PET Waste.

Addressing the environmental impact of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) disposal highlights the need for efficient recycling methods. Chemical recycling, specifically alkaline hydrolysis, presents a promising avenue for PET waste management by depolymerizing PET into its constituent monomers. This study focuses on optimizing the pressurized alkaline hydrolysis process for post-consumer PET residues obtained from packaging materials. Post-consumer PET packaging waste was chemically recycled by means of an alkaline hydrolysis reaction in a 2 L pressurized reactor under varying conditions of the NaOH/PET ratio and temperature. The reaction's progress was monitored by sampling the liquid phase hourly over a four-hour period. The obtained products were purified, with a focus on isolating terephthalic acid (TPA). Higher temperatures (150 °C) resulted in superior TPA yields (>95%) compared to lower temperatures (120 °C). The NaOH/PET ratio showed minimal influence on the TPA yield. The optimal conditions (T = 150 °C; NaOH:PET = 2) were identified based on TPA yield and reaction cost considerations. This study demonstrates the feasibility of pressurized alkaline hydrolysis for PET recycling, with optimized conditions yielding high TPA purity and efficiency.

Efficient Alcoholysis of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) by Using Supercritical Carbon Dioxide as a Green Solvent.

In order to reduce the environmental impact of poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) plastic waste, supercritical fluids were used to facilitate effective recovery via improved solvent effects. This work focuses on the mechanisms of supercritical CO2 (ScCO2) during the alcoholysis processing of PET using systematic experiments and molecular dynamics (MD) simulations. The results of the alcoholysis experiment indicated that PET chips can be completely depolymerized within only an hour at 473 K assisted with ScCO2 at an optimal molar ratio of CO2/ethanol of 0.2. Random scission of PET dominates the early stage of the depolymerization reaction process, while specific scission dominates the following stage. Correspondingly, molecular dynamics (MD) simulations revealed that the solubilization and self-diffusion properties of ScCO2 facilitate the transportation of alcohol molecules into the bulk phase of PET, which leads to an accelerated diffusion of both oligomers and small molecules in the system. However, the presence of excessive CO2 has a negative impact on depolymerization by weakening the hydrogen bonding between polyester chain segments and ethanol, as well as decreasing the swelling degree of PET. These data provide a deep understanding of PET degradation by alcohols and the enhancement of ScCO2. It should be expected to achieve an efficient and high-yield depolymerization process of wasted polyesters assisted with ScCO2 at a relatively low temperature.

Synthesis of Polyethylene Terephthalate (PET) with High Crystallization and Mechanical Properties via Functionalized Graphene Oxide as Nucleation Agent.

In this work, a novel functionalized graphene oxide nucleating agent (GITP) was successfully synthesized using a silane coupling agent (IPTES), and polymer block (ITP) to efficiently improve the crystallization and mechanical performance of PET. To comprehensively investigate the effect of functionalized GO on PET properties, PET/GITP nanocomposites were prepared by introducing GITP into the PET matrix using the melt blending method. The results indicate that PET/GITP exhibits better thermal stability and crystallization properties compared with pure PET, increasing the melting temperature from 244.1 °C to 257.1 °C as well as reducing its crystallization half-time from 595 s to 201 s. Moreover, the crystallization temperature of PET/GITP nanocomposites was increased from 185.1 °C to 207.5 °C and the tensile strength was increased from 50.69 MPa to 66.8 MPa. This study provides an effective strategy for functionalized GO as a nucleating agent with which to improve the crystalline and mechanical properties of PET polyester.

Safety assessment of the process Martogg Group, based on the EREMA Advanced technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids assessed the safety of the recycling process Martogg Group (EU register number RECYC321), which uses the EREMA Advanced technology. The input material is ■■■■■ washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, including no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated in continuous reactors ■■■■■ before being extruded. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the continuous decontamination steps (Steps 2 and 3), for which a challenge test was provided, are critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of this step are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure a level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 µg/kg food derived from the exposure scenario for infants when such recycled PET is used at up to 100%. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not of safety concern when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. Articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave or conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.

Bio-Based Copolyester PEIFT: Enhanced Hydrophilicity, Rigidity, and Applications in Nanofibers.

The raw materials of Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) are derived from petroleum-based resources, which are no sustainable. Therefore, previous researchers introduced biomass-derived 2,5-tetrahydrofurfuryl dimethanol (THFDM) into PET. However, its heat resistance has decreased compared to PET. In this paper, a novel bio-based copolyester, poly(ethylene glycol-co-2,5-tetrahydrofuran dimethanol-co-isosorbide terephthalate) (PEIFT), is prepared by introducing biomass-derived isosorbide (ISB) and THFDM into the PET chains through melting copolymerization process. With the introduction of ISB content, copolyesters' hydrophilicity and rigidity improve. Compared to PET, glass transition temperature (Tg) increases by over 5 °C. In addition, the toughness and spinning performance of PEIFT have also been improved as a result of the addition of THFDM components. The hydrophobicity of PEIFTs electrospinning is greatly improved, with a contact angle exceeding 135°. Finally, due to the good hydrophobicity of PEIFTs nanofibers, they have potential application value in the manufacture of hydrophobic nanofiber and filter films. Given its biomass source and excellent performance, they make it easier to replace materials derived from petroleum.

The Development of Sustainable Polyethylene Terephthalate Glycol-Based (PETG) Blends for Additive Manufacturing Processing-The Use of Multilayered Foil Waste as the Blend Component.

The polymer foil industry is one of the leading producers of plastic waste. The development of new recycling methods for packaging products is one of the biggest demands in today's engineering. The subject of this research was the melt processing of multilayered PET-based foil waste with PETG copolymer. The resulting blends were intended for additive manufacturing processing using the fused deposition modeling (FDM) method. In order to improve the properties of the developed materials, the blends compounding procedure was conducted with the addition of a reactive chain extender (CE) and elastomeric copolymer used as an impact modifier (IM). The samples were manufactured using the 3D printing technique and, for comparison, using the traditional injection molding method. The obtained samples were subjected to a detailed characterization procedure, including mechanical performance evaluation, thermal analysis, and rheological measurements. This research confirms that PET-based film waste can be successfully used for the production of filament, and for most samples, the FDM printing process can be conducted without any difficulties. Unfortunately, the unmodified blends are characterized by brittleness, which makes it necessary to use an elastomer additive (IM). The presence of a semicrystalline PET phase improves the thermal resistance of the prepared blends; however, an annealing procedure is required for this purpose.

Safety assessment of the process Lietpak, based on the EREMA MPR technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process Lietpak (EU register number RECYC319), which uses the EREMA MPR technology. The input material is hot caustic washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, including no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated ■■■■■ under vacuum (step 2). Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that this step 2, for which the challenge test was provided, is critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of this step are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure a level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.15 µg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for toddlers, when such recycled PET is used at up to 100%. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not considered to be of safety concern when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, except drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hot fill. Articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave or conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.

Safety assessment of the process CeltiPak, based on the Kreyenborg IR Clean+ technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process CeltiPak (EU register number RECYC318), which uses the Kreyenborg IR Clean+ technology. The input material is hot caustic washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, for example, bottles, with no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated in a continuous IR dryer (step 2) before being processed in a finisher reactor (step 3). Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that step 2 and step 3 are critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of these critical steps are temperature, air/PET ratio and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.10 and 0.15 µg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for infants and toddlers, respectively, when such recycled PET is used at up to 100%. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not considered to be of safety concern, when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. Articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.

Closed-Loop Polymer-to-Polymer Upcycling of Waste Poly (Ethylene Terephthalate) into Biodegradable and Programmable Materials.

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET), extensively employed in bottles, film, and fiber manufacture, has generated persistent environmental contamination due to its non-degradable nature. The resolution of this issue requires the conversion of waste PET into valuable products, often achieved through depolymerization into monomers. However, the laborious purification procedures involved in the extraction of monomers pose challenges and constraints on the complete utilization of PET. Herein, a strategy is demonstrated for the polymer-to-polymer upcycling of waste PET into high-value biodegradable and programmable materials named PEXT. This process involves reversible transesterifications dependent on ester bonds, wherein commercially available X-monomers from aliphatic diacids and diols are introduced, utilizing existing industrial equipment for complete PET utilization. PEXT features a programmable molecular structure, delivering tailored mechanical, thermal, and biodegradation performance. Notably, PEXT exhibits superior mechanical performance, with a maximal elongation at break of 3419.2 % and a toughness of 270.79 MJ m-3. These characteristics make PEXT suitable for numerous applications, including shape-memory materials, transparent films, and fracture-resistant stretchable components. Significantly, PEXT allows closed-loop recycling within specific biodegradable analogs by reprograming PET or X-monomers. This strategy not only offers cost-effective advantages in large-scale upcycling of waste PET into advanced materials but also demonstrates its enormous prospect in environmental conservation.

Safety assessment of the process ENPLATER, based on the Kreyenborg IR clean+ technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process ENPLATER (EU register number RECYC316), which uses the Kreyenborg IR Clean+ technology. The input material is hot caustic washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, e.g. bottles, with no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated in a continuous IR dryer (step 2) before being processed in a finisher reactor (step 3). Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that step 2 and step 3 are critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of these critical steps are temperature, air/PET ratio and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.10 and 0.15 µg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for infants and toddlers, respectively, when such recycled PET is used at up to 100%. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not considered to be of safety concern, when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. Articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.

Safety assessment of the process GTX Hanex, based on the Kreyenborg IR Clean+ technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process GTX Hanex (EU register number RECYC317), which uses the Kreyenborg IR Clean+ technology. The input material is hot caustic washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, e.g. bottles, with no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated in a continuous IR dryer (step 2) before being processed in a finisher reactor (step 3). Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that step 2 and step 3 are critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of these critical steps are temperature, air/PET ratio and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.10 and 0.15 µg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for infants and toddlers, respectively, when such recycled PET is used at up to 100%. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not considered to be of safety concern, when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. Articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.

Recent advances in nanotechnology-based modifications of micro/nano PET plastics for green energy applications.

Poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) plastic is an omnipresent synthetic polymer in our lives, which causes negative impacts on the ecosystem. It is crucial to take mandatory action to control the usage and sustainable disposal of PET plastics. Recycling plastics using nanotechnology offers potential solutions to the challenges associated with traditional plastic recycling methods. Nano-based degradation techniques improve the degradation process through the influence of catalysts. It also plays a crucial role in enhancing the efficiency and effectiveness of recycling processes and modifying them into value-added products. The modified PET waste plastics can be utilized to manufacture batteries, supercapacitors, sensors, and so on. The waste PET modification methods have massive potential for research, which can play major role in removing post-consumer plastic waste. The present review discusses the effects of micro/nano plastics in terrestrial and marine ecosystems and its impacts on plants and animals. Briefly, the degradation and bio-degradation methods in recent research were explored. The depolymerization methods used for the production of monomers from PET waste plastics were discussed in detail. Carbon nanotubes, fullerene, and graphene nanosheets synthesized from PET waste plastics were delineated. The reuse of nanotechnologically modified PET waste plastics for potential green energy storage products, such as batteries, supercapacitors, and sensors were presented in this review.

Effect of Water Absorption on Electric Properties of Temperature-Resistant Polymers.

The effects of water absorption on the electric resistivity and dielectric constant of polyimide (PI) and poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) were investigated, and the mechanism of deterioration in electrical insulation properties was discussed. The polyimides are poly(oxydianiline pyromellitimide) (PMDA-ODA) and poly(para-phenylene diamine biphenyltetracarboxydiimide) (BPDA-PDA). These polymer films were immersed in pure water for various immersion times at room temperature, and the water absorption ratio was evaluated. The electric resistance for these films was measured at room temperature using a high-resistance meter, and the dielectric constant at room temperature was measured using an LCR meter in a frequency range of 200 kHz to 2 MHz. The absorption ratios at equilibrium absorption for PMDA-ODA, BPDA-PDA, and PET were 2.7, 2.5, and 0.5%, respectively. The critical volume fraction of the percolation threshold of electric conductivity due to water absorption was 0.034 for both PMDA-ODA and BPDA-PDA. On the other hand, PET did not show a significant decrease in the resistivity. For both PIs and PET, the dielectric constant observed could be explained by a series model of the respective capacitances of pure water and polymer. Actually, the resistivity of samples cut from the edges of the film after water absorption was almost the same value as that in the dry state. These results suggest that the absorbed water molecules are not uniformly dispersed in the film but are localized at the edges of the film even after the absorption equilibrium has been reached.

Prediction of tensile modulus based on parameters of crystalline structure in polyethylene terephthalate with cold crystallization ability.

This work aims to adopt a simple modulus prediction method for the crystalline poly(ethylene-terephthalate) (PET), which has strong cold-crystallization ability. Based on a single melting curve generated by calorimetry, crystallinity and average melting temperature can easily be evaluated and consequently, tensile modulus can be predicted. Nonetheless, in the case of polymers with cold crystallization behavior, such as PET, the melting process is affected by cold crystallization, impeding the simple calculation of the aforementioned important parameters. In this paper, the techniques to eradicate cold crystallization during calorimetry are presented. Accordingly, the results of a tensile modulus prediction model are presented and discussed. The crystallization and melting characteristics of PET were measured by differential scanning calorimetry (DSC). The mechanical properties of the specimens were estimated by standardized tensile tests. The specimens, which were used for mechanical tests were fabricated using conventional injection molding. The samples were annealed at different temperatures in order to obtain different crystalline structures. The results clearly indicate that the prediction technique is capable to describe the tensile modulus of PET accurately in the case of very diverse crystalline structures.

Safety assessment of the process Shinkong, based on the EREMA Basic technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process Shinkong (EU register number RECYC320), which uses the EREMA Basic technology. The input material is ■■■■■ washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, including no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated in a continuous reactor ■■■■■ before being extruded. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the continuous decontamination (step 2), for which a challenge test was provided, is critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of this step are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure a level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 µg/kg food derived from the exposure scenario for infants, when such recycled PET is used at up to 100%. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not of safety concern when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. Articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave or conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.

Safety assessment of the process Reliance Industries, based on the ProTec technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process Reliance Industries (EU register number RECYC315), which uses the ProTec technology. The input material consists of washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes, mainly originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, e.g. bottles, with no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are extruded into pellets (step 1), crystallised (step 2) and treated in a solid-state polycondensation (SSP) reactor (step 3). Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the extrusion and the decontamination in the ■■■■■ SSP reactor (steps 1 and 3) are critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of these critical steps are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure that the level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food is below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 µg/kg food. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not considered to be of safety concern, when used at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. The final articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave and conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.

Safety assessment of the process Novatex, based on the EREMA Basic technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process Novatex (EU register number RECYC313), which uses the EREMA Basic technology. The input material is ■■■■■ washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, including no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated in a continuous reactor under vacuum before being extruded. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the continuous decontamination (step 2), for which a challenge test was provided, is critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of this step are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure a level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 µg/kg food derived from the exposure scenario for infants when such recycled PET is used at up to 95% in mixtures with virgin PET, and of 0.15 µg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for toddlers when used at up to 100%. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not of safety concern when used at up to 95% in mixtures with virgin PET for manufacturing of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water bottles, and at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs except drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. Articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave or conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.

Safety assessment of the process Reciclar, based on the EREMA Basic technology, used to recycle post-consumer PET into food contact materials.

The EFSA Panel on Food Contact Materials, Enzymes and Processing Aids (CEP) assessed the safety of the recycling process Reciclar (EU register number RECYC314), which uses the EREMA Basic technology. The input material is ■■■■■ washed and dried poly(ethylene terephthalate) (PET) flakes originating from collected post-consumer PET containers, including no more than 5% PET from non-food consumer applications. The flakes are heated in a continuous reactor under vacuum before being extruded. Having examined the challenge test provided, the Panel concluded that the continuous decontamination (step 2), for which a challenge test was provided, is critical in determining the decontamination efficiency of the process. The operating parameters to control the performance of this step are temperature, pressure and residence time. It was demonstrated that this recycling process is able to ensure a level of migration of potential unknown contaminants into food below the conservatively modelled migration of 0.1 µg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for infants, when such recycled PET is used at up to 95% in mixtures with virgin PET, and of 0.15 µg/kg food, derived from the exposure scenario for toddlers, when used at up to 100%. Therefore, the Panel concluded that the recycled PET obtained from this process is not of safety concern when used at up to 95% in mixtures with virgin PET for manufacturing of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, including drinking water bottles, and at up to 100% for the manufacture of materials and articles for contact with all types of foodstuffs, except drinking water, for long-term storage at room temperature or below, with or without hotfill. Articles made of this recycled PET are not intended to be used in microwave or conventional ovens and such uses are not covered by this evaluation.