Health Canada has ‘no objection’ to Phoenix Technologies’ LNOc recycled PET process

Published: 29-May-2009

Health Canada says it has ‘no objection’ to Phoenix Technologies’ method of producing its LNOc recycled, food grade polyethylene terephthalate (rPET) resin. Phoenix had been seeking comments on the acceptability of the recycling process for treating post-consumer rPET that would subsequently be used to produce food packaging. Health Canada’s approval refers to rPET content ‘of up to 50%’.


‘We have been working with Canadian manufacturers on commercialising various food and beverage packaging applications. As such, we are very pleased to have a letter of no objection from Health Canada to support our technology,’ said Lori Carson, sales and marketing manager, Phoenix Technologies.

The LNOc process relies on Phoenix’s patented ‘extremely small particle size’ technology, which the company says enables more efficient decontamination compared with other processes, resulting in faster output and significant energy savings. Other benefits are said to be superior colour and yield, lower acetaldehyde (AA) levels, which have a positive impact on taste, and higher intrinsic viscosity (IV) or molecular weight that more closely matches the IV found in virgin resins. This enables higher package performance, the company says.

Although trials using 100% rPET have been successful, Phoenix is expecting most food grade applications to run between 25-50% rPET. In addition to creating rPET resin for sale directly to blow/injection moulding and thermoforming operations, the company is also making its technology available to those wishing to set up their own rPET operation.

‘Our philosophy is that rPET supply is better suited to multiple, smaller, processing operations across North America than one or two large capacity plants,’ said Carson. Phoenix’s LNOc resin is currently being trialled in the US and Canada for water, beverage, deli and drinking cups.

Phoenix Technologies produces high-grade rPET resin pellets from post-consumer recycled plastic flake shipped from all over the world. www.phoenixtechnologies.net

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