Rome — May 26, 2026 — The Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) has expressed growing concern about the use of recycled plastics in food packaging, cautioning that while recycling supports sustainability goals, it may also introduce chemical safety risks if not properly regulated.
In its latest report, FAO warned that recycled food‑contact materials — including containers, packaging, and processing equipment — can carry contaminants from previous use or poorly sorted waste streams. These substances may migrate into food, posing potential health hazards.
Global regulations on recycled plastics remain inconsistent. The European Union has established approval systems for recycling processes, but challenges persist around non‑intentionally added substances (NIAS) — impurities and degradation by‑products that are difficult to detect and assess.
FAO emphasized that the increasing use of recycled polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) and other polymers in beverage bottles and food packaging must not compromise safety standards. Corinna Hawkes, Director of FAO’s Agrifood Systems and Food Safety Division, stated that sustainability efforts must go hand in hand with consumer protection.
The organization called for stronger international safety frameworks, improved testing methods, and harmonized regulations across the recycling chain — from waste collection to final food‑contact applications — as global adoption of circular packaging solutions accelerates.
