The aim of this project is to understand the presence of persistent chemicals in recyclable and compostable food contact materials (FCMs). These types of products are destined for recycling or biowaste streams that bridge the gap from take-make-dispose into a circular economy. This would change the current production and consumption method to a more sustainable one, which involves reusing, repairing, refurbishing, and recycling existing products for as long as possible. Currently, the knowledge of the chemicals in these products is limited, but we need to ensure that they are safe and do not unnecessarily contaminate resource recovery streams where waste is sorted to extract all materials that can be reused or recycled. It is expected that this project will develop a framework that could be used by industry and government to prevent chemicals of concern from persisting in a circular economy. This will provide substantial environmental and economic benefits through the reduced risk of chemical exposure and avoiding unnecessary remediation costs.
