Avient adds food-contact TPE resin

Avient Corp., based in Avon Lake, Ohio, has announced its reSound REC thermoplastic elastomer (TPE) formulation has been approved for use in certain food-contact applications by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration (FDA). The reSound REC grade incorporates postconsumer recycled (PCR) material that has received a no-objection letter (NOL) from the FDA.

The company says its reSound TPE portfolio includes both recycled-content and bio-based formulations. The new reSound REC TPE contains 25 percent PCR content from recycled polypropylene (PP), adds the firm. The FDA NOL confirms the recycled material included in this formulation can be used for manufacturing certain food-contact articles, Avient adds.

Available in North America, the new PCR content formulation offers comparable performance to prime TPEs and can provide a more sustainable option in applications such as toothbrush grips and other personal care items, as well as certain FDA food-contact items like reusable crates, according to Avient. It is naturally gray, colorable and suitable for injection molding or “overmolding” onto PP.

“This FDA evaluation should boost OEM and consumer confidence in incorporating recycled materials into products that face stringent regulatory controls,” says Matt Mitchell, director of global marketing in the Specialty Engineered Materials business unit of Avient. “The expansion of our recycled-content TPE portfolio is rooted in our ongoing commitment to developing sustainable solutions with specialized performance requirements that enable our customers’ innovation and sustainability goals.”

Avient describes itself as having 2021 revenue of $4.8 billion and as being a provider of specialized and sustainable material solutions.