Versalis and Forever Plast Introduce REFENCE™: Recycled Polymers for Food Packaging

Following the successful collaboration between Versalis, Eni's chemical company, and Forever Plast, Italy's leading company in post-consumer plastic recycling, comes REFENCE™, an innovative range of recycled polymers tailored specifically for food contact packaging. This new product line represents a significant advancement within the Versalis Revive® portfolio of mechanically recycled materials, expanding their application capabilities to include direct contact with food.

REFENCE™ is already making waves in the market, offering solutions for various polystyrene applications such as yogurt pots, meat and fish trays, and other rigid and expanded packaging formats. By leveraging advanced recycling technologies, Versalis and Forever Plast are not only enhancing sustainability in packaging but also meeting stringent regulatory requirements for food safety, thus contributing to a more circular economy in the plastics industry.

REFENCE™ is made using NEWER™ technology, developed at Versalis' advanced research labs in Mantua and scaled up at Forever Plast's facilities in Lograto (Brescia) through a collaborative effort between the two companies. NEWER™ stands out for its capability to purify recycled polymers in strict adherence to EU Regulation 1616/2022, which governs recycling standards.

Moreover, this innovative technology has earned a Non-Objection Letter (NOL) from the US Food and Drug Administration (FDA), affirming its safety for use in food contact applications. By harnessing NEWER™, Versalis and Forever Plast are pioneering sustainable solutions that meet rigorous regulatory requirements while advancing the circular economy in plastics.

Adriano Alfani, CEO of Versalis, emphasized the strategic importance of circularity, highlighting their commitment to developing complementary recycling processes to increase the value of end-of-life plastics and integrate into Italy's national collection chain. He noted the completion of their first advanced mechanical recycling hub at Porto Marghera, focused on post-consumer plastics, especially styrenic polymers. Alfani underscored their collaboration with Forever Plast, aimed at addressing critical application sectors like food packaging, where sustainability and quality are paramount. He expressed confidence that these efforts will reinforce Versalis's leadership in mechanical recycling across Europe.

Piersandro Arrighini, CEO of Forever Plast, emphasized the significant milestone achieved through their collaboration with Versalis, particularly in establishing a recycling chain for polystyrene from separate waste collection, a previously unaddressed challenge in Europe. He expressed deep satisfaction with the outcome, underscoring the partnership's role in pioneering sustainable solutions. This achievement marks a pivotal advancement in recycling technology, enabling the transformation of polystyrene waste into valuable raw materials. Arrighini highlighted the broader implications for environmental sustainability and resource efficiency, reinforcing their commitment to driving positive change in the plastics recycling industry.