Food Contact Packaging – Halal or Environmental

Problems?
halalindustryquest.com/2022/03/02/food-contact-packaging-halal-or-environment-problems/

2 March 2022

According to many industry reports, in 2019, around 85 per cent of the plastic produced
worldwide was petroleum-derived (Statica). However, by 2030, it is expected
petrochemical-based plastics will account for only 54.7 per cent of global plastics
production, while recycled plastics and bioplastics will account for a more significant
proportion of the market. Coherently, British Plastics Federation (BPF) cited that the

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growing demand for limited oil reserves is driving a need for newer plastics from
renewable resources such as waste biomass or animal waste products from the industry¹.
Therefore, the need to evaluate packaging substances used for food contact packaging is
becoming more significant for compliance, not just for Halal but the emergence of the
Vegetarian and Vegan market.

In addition, according to International Pelletwatch, the raw material of reprocessed plastic

granules or plastic resin pellets is generally the shape of a cylinder with a diameter of a
few mm. These plastic particles are industrial raw materials transported to manufacturing
sites where plastics are

made by re-melting and moulding into the final products. Resin pellets can be
unintentionally released into the environment during manufacturing and transport. The
released resin pellets are eventually carried by surface run-off, stream, and river waters to
the ocean. Resin pellets can also be directly introduced to the ocean through accidental
spills during shipping. Because of their environmental persistence, they are distributed
widely in the ocean and found on beaches all over the world. The growing production of
plastic leads to a measurable increase in plastic pollution in the ocean². Food packaging
manufacturers commonly declare any animal substance used in the resin (e.g. tallow,
gelatine, stearates) to form food-grade packaging according to EU Regulation 1069/2009
and Commission Regulation 142/2011.

Halal’s source of tallow, gelatin, and stearates depends on how far the
manufacturer willingly shares the animal species. Therefore, even though Halal has
a provision for istihalah or transformation, transparency and client need matter,
especially in the B2B scenario that impacted the supply-chains.

2011

Commission Regulation (EU) No 142/2011 of 25 February 2011 (pdf 9,668Kb)

implementing Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European Parliament and of the
Council laying down health rules as regards animal by-products not intended for human
consumption and implementing Council Directive 97/78/EC as regards certain samples
and items exempt from veterinary checks at the border under that Directive

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2009
Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 Of The European Parliament And Of The Council of 21
October 2009 (pdf 506Kb) Commission Regulation (EC) No 1069/2009 of the European
Parliament and of the Council of 21 October 2009 laying down health rules as regards
animal by-products and derived products not intended for human consumption and
repealing Regulation (EC) No 1774/2002 (Animal by-products Regulation)

References:

¹How Is Plastic Made? A Simple Step-By-Step Explanation (bpf.co.uk)

²What’s resin pellet? :: International Pellet Watch

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